Life Seen by a Gentle Phantasmal Beast
by zenithzwei
Summary: At the end of the Greater Grail war, one Homunculus made his decision, and walked the path his fate dictated knowingly. With a steeled heart, he ventured alone into the land no man could ever reach. Although, he never thought he'd see more absurd thing than a crossdressing Paladin or a tomboyish genderbent Knight of Treachery. (Dragons(?)-centric) (Slow plot)
1. Prologue - Beyond Apocrypha

Before you get started, first, I shall WARN you that this contains SPOILERS to those reading and anticipating the translated novel of **Fate/Apocrypha.** And so the following warnings are for your safety and joy of reading that very series:

0\. Beware, this starts _**AFTER**_ **APOCRYPHA** _**ENDED**_. The translated novel is still stuck at vol. 3 while the series ended at vol.5. I do _**NOT**_ **GIVE A DAMN CARE** if you complained you have been spoiled. This wall of text is also here to warn you to the extreme in case you didn't realize. Else... well, like I said, I don't care. You heeded the warning or you be a bad kid out of YOUR volition. _Proceed at your own risk._

1\. I am NOT going to invite many characters from Nasuverse or even FSN universe. My basis revolves in mostly Apocrypha but cameos will be mentioned... or seen by Sieg's view but in a different light. After all, we basically leaped over dimension, **A PARALLEL UNIVERSE** where coincidences can happen, and that the annoying Will of Gaia or Alaya do NOT exist nor WILL they be allowed to exist at some point. Heck, Apocrypha universe is already an AU by all-rights since it deviated from.. Uh? Is it 3rd or 4th Grail War?

2\. This story isn't going to be as dark as usual FSN franchise, especially if you wanted F/Zero-level dark stains of humanity. I will only brush several FSN-universe facts and only scratched the surface at most. Real reason? I hate info-dumping since it's a blaring weakness for me if written, also, most seemed to dislike tweaking or diving deeper into DxD's laws when it came to crossover with any FSN. Rest assured, as a character of Fate universe, Sieg will relate with the usual tag of 'Humanity', 'Fate and Origin', also 'Phantasmal Species of Dragonkind'.

3\. Plot follows DxD mostly (since Apocrypha already ended here, duh), with occasions that may change the conclusion of several events. You should at least expect this since we have one more variable in the DxD universe and he's taken the role of Protagonist so yeah... that's kind of inevitable.

4\. Is there going to be an OC? Well, there MIGHT be some but they're not main points. In other words, not really important with the plot (if they can) or relationship with Sieg. Also, to any of you who haven't read Apocrypha, 'Sieg' is _**NOT**_ an OC! He's actually the protagonist even though he's only mentioned in the middle and given a role at the end of Vol.1! See for yourself if you don't believe me!

5\. Lastly, I do not own Fate/Stay Night, Fate/Apocrypha, or Highschool DxD. Hell, I'm not so creative to ramp up so many inner workings of universe that could be related from a series to another. If I could, I wouldn't have written a fan-fiction to begin with.

Now that all the stiff stuff (pun intended) is done...

 _The Sage Cries Out "Open. Gate of Heaven! Bless us and Bestow Miracles Upon Us!"_

* * *

At the end of it all, to stop the worst calamity, I activated and burned my last chance away.

With my will, the Command Spell glowed, the cursed blood red radiance filling the entirety of the chapel within this floating island. It was so bright, so dazzling, and yet so fearsome that nothing could stop it from unleashing impending doom.

"No!" I heard his dying roar, full of wrath as he reached out his hand.

My enemy glared at me who was a step away from the grail. With all of his efforts, his eyes showed the rawest desire of a human even though he remained passive, also saintly for many times more than necessary. In fact, I preferred to see how his inhuman mask broke down and revealed his true character, a humanly aspect.

Alas, it was of no use. My body that had grown weary and torn with wounds gave off visible cracks. The physical vessel I had once thought as weak, reinforced, broken and yet tempered for many times in an extremely short period finally giving in to destruction.

To its demise. But not mine.

As the Command Spell vanished, the light too vanished. In turn, something echoed. The sounds of heartbeat, then the sound of ruination.

It was from within me. I looked at my chest, at the scar that proved the sacrifice of one warrior with one's survival exchanged. A greater good done by a selfless Hero who I believed as my savior.

The scar that I had was shining, glimmering as cracks spread further and further, encasing my limbs, consuming my organs, reaching my face as my vision began to grow hazy.

In that moment... In that very instance, all I saw was a white world.

Beyond it was the back of someone. With wide shoulders. Long grey hair remaining unruly even as the wind beats past it. A firm back and a great sword slung over his armored back.

That was when I know _it_ was the back of the Hero. The Savior who granted me a second chance. The one who realized my dream to live.

"...you know what you must do. You are... now prepared for it."

Even so - the words he said hit me harder than the Noble Phantasm of the Traitorous Knight gave to me. It was a fact, also a reminder to what I shall face.

And so this time, I nodded in confirmation.

"I will still believe. Believe that even if the Fated Day were to come... there will be someone that can help guide the correct way for everyone." I said, as I clenched my hand so as to align it with my scar.

An oath. A sworn promise that I have decided to uphold, both for myself, and for others. A decision I reached to even if it meant to spend eternity in solitude.

"...Then go, Sieg. Take it away, plunder it. Steal the treasure - and guard it with your life in line. As someone who chose to accept your fate."

The imaginary world vanished. Albeit it was a fleeting moment, nothing but an illusion, but...

The resolve I have - is here. In my heart, beating soundly as it reverberates, spilling out prana like a broken faucet.

My body ached. Needles to say, I staggered as someone's voice called out, yelling out my name in the most saddest way I could ever imagine.

I didn't look back. I know they're here. My companions. My precious friends. The ones that helped giving me the meaning of life.

As long as I know that they were there, alive and well... I'm sure they will be able to find their own happiness. Even if they lost me, they will live, and they will find their answer.

Because - isn't that the same for me? I might be conceited for using myself as a reference but I have faith. I trust them, and they trust me. And so, my belief will not fail me.

"...I will not... let it be a failure." I muttered as I pushed myself to the limits, raising my arm that is crumbling.

Even so, as the skin sheds, as the muscles and bones are torn down from the inside out... something was born in their place.

Something foreign. Something that was not human. Something that was incapable to be given with by the hands of man.

Because... what was shed - _was a scale_. A scale, harder than iron, more resistant than the strongest diamond, irrefutably a part of a living being that was supposed to have died in legends and myths.

A scale of a creature known to have always struck fear in both the Gods and humans alike.

"Gh...!" I winced as the pain became so unbearable I nearly passed out.

Although to tell the truth, not even a moment had passed. It was just that my mind seemed to have been restructured to slow down... no, it was being rebuilt so as to suit my physical change.

It was rapid. Quick in succession. As fast as the lightning as my body broke down into pieces while being reformed in one single instance through the assistance of the Grail's abundant prana. Yet my mind perceived it slower than a minute, causing discrepancies to occur as I extended my hand... and grasped the Grail.

A screech echoed. As if it was denying me to touch it, refusing to be with me who have never wanted to use it for anything. And in fact, I do not want it at all.

I have no need of a wish fulfilling device that will lead humanity's demise.

I have no need of a mechanism man created to save everyone by turning all into colorless forms of constant.

I have no desire to be granted at all - because I will make it happen with my own hands.

"And so... What I demand... is nothing." I uttered, as I 'held' the Greater Grail in my 'hands'.

My form was no more of a Homunculus. Of a Human yet I was holding the object that many Magus craved for even if they have to destroy countries just to acquire it. For the sake of my desires, I chose to use the vast prana it held and accelerated the process which would change my fate as well as my origin.

As the prana the Greater Grail provided me heightened, I roared, my voice no different than the roar of a beast. My crumbling body gave way to a new flesh, reborn from destruction.

Then - everything went white.

 _"SIEEEEEEEEGGG!"_

* * *

I woke up with a feeling as if I have crushed the shell that limited myself from being... alive. Freedom as I felt extra appendages have grown from my back and the small of my back.

Then I breathed out, white smokes clouded my vision as they went past my vision that captured the horizon of the world. The taste of freedom was never as strong than this exact moment.

Before I knew it, something crumbled and I looked down, seeing a floating landmass that was destroyed from the inside-out. A sea of clouds obscured it but the Garden of Babylon went into eternal ruins as it slowly became fragments to fall from grace.

Thus, the palace of the Queen of Assyria returned to the great mother Earth.

 _...It's time..._ I thought, as I spread my 'wings' only to revel in the majestic sensation for having to encompass the great sky of this horrible yet majestic world.

Below me, lands stretched towards the sea. Extending after it was the horizon where the light blue canopy of the world joined with the deep blue of the ocean. And further, as if greeting me, the dawn arrived with golden glimmering lights.

I knew that I shouldn't think of anything else, yet, marveling the expanse of mother nature, being bathed by the light of dawn, comforted by the cold winds, showered by the lights of stars as well as moon could be so...

So... elating it was. Truly... a novel experience.

And as I felt what I possessed now, my mind instantaneously shifted, pushing aside my idle thoughts for the sake of one final duty. A treasure of no greater comparison was in my hold.

Clearly, many desired it. People desired for it albeit unconsciously. Even without it, it was already a matter of time for man to see their ending.

Even so... I will still persist, despite only being capable delaying the inevitable.

 _Thus, I shall take my flight._

I faintly heard it. As I flapped my wings, I saw something hovering, away from the powerful winds I blew with a simple gesture.

A beast was there. Majestic in nature, with a head of an eagle, the body of a lion, and a pair of wings that wast their pride as a species.

The King of the Sky, a Hipogriff, was there. Together with its summoner - no, my best friend who was my Servant. He was riding the Beast with difficulties in the raging winds with the boy that desired to see through everything...

Alongside my beloved companion.

"...eg..! Sie...g...!"

I heard him shouting, and I felt amused by how he showed such expression. It was both in wonder and shock, disbelief and worry despite being one that tried to save me with mischievous glee. He was even crying this time.

 _Really, you are one amazing Hero, Astolfo, the Twelfth Paladin of Charlemagne._

Even so, I'm afraid I cannot speak with a grail held with my jaws. I don't know how it ended there but it's still removable.

Of course, I will not let it go. Ignoring my instinctual desire to protect a treasure, it was my responsibility to see through everything.

As a dragon... As a Transcendent Kind... As a Phantasmal Beast renowned to guard treasures inviting greeds...

 _I will make sure that nobody could ever reach it._

"Sieg...! Don't...!"

...Nhh... that voice...

"Sieg! Please...!"

...her voice... Ruler... I could clearly tell how hurting it was for her to plead.

Because the Ruler that I know always knew what it meant to resolve oneself. A decision that could alter their own life is something she doesn't have the right to veto.

As a Ruler, and as a warrior, there should have been nothing that could cause her to plead for me to stop. If so...

It was her feelings. Ah, perhaps that is the sole reason why. It wasn't because there was another alternative. It wasn't because she had the right to stop me.

It was because she wanted to stop me out of her own, selfish desire. A small selfishness that desired to not lose someone she holds dear, one that should have disqualified her as a Saint, as a Counter-force Guardian, yet also qualified her best as a feeling, flesh and blooded human.

"..." In the rushing winds, I gazed at her longingly.

I remembered our first meeting. I remembered when she taught me the world. I remembered when she accompanied me into the battlefield. The short days spent with her. The time I spent together with her and my friends.

The precious bond I created with her. Surely, it is by NO means... a mistake.

Even though I cannot speak now, I know that there is no need for it to convey my feelings. There was nothing that limited myself from showing her my answer.

And so, I nodded. Turning toward the dawn, my wings beat down and allowed me to fly. To soar towards the distant horizon.

With one move and I crossed a country. Trifas looked so small from here, and my memories brought me the will to hasten myself.

Away. Further... further. So that nobody can reach me. So that man can never be able to grasp the accursed treasure. So that there can be no longer any reason for my siblings to fight. So that I can finally fulfill my purpose of life.

Thus, I disappeared into the light, leaving the Surface World behind.

* * *

Times passed. The sun drawn and sank, exchanging place with the moon in numerous cycles. Spring came with blooming flowers, summer arrived with radiant warmth, autumn passed with withering leaves, and winter quietly sleeps with the falling snows.

So much time has passed I lost track of it. In this land where nobody but beasts and legends could live in, I once again, patiently waiting.

With the Treasure in cradle, I slumbered, awakened, and slumbered once again. Perpetually guarding the wish-fulfilling machine from anything and anyone that wanted to activate dangerous spells such as the Third Magic.

I have seen my shares of this fantastical realm. A place detached from Gaia, where there can be nothing but only the beasts of legends to exist. It is impossible even for the greatest of a hero to reach this place now that it is no longer a habitable place for man.

Filled with prana, the intoxicating air was more than enough to poison a Magus to death in several seconds. The atmosphere drawn with the scents of monsters, demons and mythical creatures enforced the realm to protect itself from external influence.

Thus, only beings such as I are allowed to live in this place. To leave, to enter, and to die. Here, in this land devoid of humankind's touch, it was an asylum for the forgotten myths to keep on living. Its name among many others was the 'Reverse Side of the World', right in-between the 'Surface World' and 'Earth'.

Following my permanent residence in this realm, I had waited. And in waiting, I thought of what would happen.

As the Fake Priest said, humanity will meet its demise. There was no questioning it when knowing the Will of Gaia would one day consider humanity as a threat should it ravage the great mother nature beyond the limits of tolerance.

Still, man desired to survive. They wished to escape that fate, strongly, again and again and again. As a result, Alaya was born as a collective desire that detached itself from Gaia, her job dedicated solely to preserve humankind's survival.

But once omnipotent magical ritual like ths Greater Grail descended unto the earth, man split, advancing in two paths.

The early demise, where their wish would become their own undoing through the use of the Grail that relied on the planet's prana.

And the other was the slow demise, where advancement made them to suffer bits by bits, crippling their numbers until Gaia is forced to intervene and end humanity in one single sweep.

The priest once told me that he intended to use the Greater Grail for the sake of saving everyone. By fulfilling their hunger, joy, sadness and every aspect in life... man would reach enlightenment, and grasped salvation.

Not only seen or heard, but felt.

Not touched or forced, but by embracing it with acceptance.

Yet by doing so... humanity will truly become 'empty', turning into a single static race where no change could ever happen. A form of constant.

Can that still be called as happiness? Or is that another shape of despair?

To be fulfilled. To be saved. To feel content and thus stopping in desiring anything at all... I do not truly understand the Priest's way of thinking, neither will I ever want to understand the meaning of his words.

It pains me but the day where everything would end is going to come. There is no denying it, since this is just how evolution of mortals worked. Since this is what it meant to have a feeling.

To change, to become perfect, to match their creators, to be happy... Those desires that gave birth to changes will also end them.

Inevitably, my duty as well will end once humanity ceased to exist.

"..." I lowered my eyelids, heaving as drowsiness began to cloud my mind.

Days did not matter here. Time is a concept foreign to beasts detached from human logic, and it is by no means anything important in this realm.

Hunger too, do not exist for Phantasmal Species such as I breathed in prana from the atmosphere to survive. In a land where the dead became nutrition to the earth and returning back to the sky as pure energy, this realm is forever sustaining itself.

Rich with resources, inexhaustible by nature, indestructible in the truest meaning. A paradise meant for mythical beasts and those that are not humans.

However, I am different. I am... Once a Homunculus. An artificial being crafted only to supply the prana preserving the Greater Grail as well as the Servants' continuity. Yet I was given a chance to live, to have free will; a future to choose.

For I who was once a Homunculus, then became a human... even if it was only for a very short moment... I felt truly alone in this hoarde of non-humans.

Even if I longed for another company, I will only bring demise to them. Those who fear the might of a Dragon knows that we draw in conflicts.

With power came great responsibility. And power attracts another power. Hence why so many of my brethren lived in solitude. To not invite demise to their selves, or to others.

Personally, I too wanted neither of them. I have stopped caring for those that demanded my treasure but my vanity wished so that no harm could befall upon others who have home to return to.

As I exhaled once again, my eyes slowly closed. Bits by bits, my consciousness slipped away-

 _I heard a roar._

"...!" I raised my head.

Normally, that was the case. But to most, even such gesture was impossible to be done.

Power... a word filled with power descended into the realm. A power like no other, unmatched by any entity.

A one of a kind. A power... that is exclusive only for my race.

"...who...?" I wondered aloud, searching my memories that have vastly improved and disallowed me to forget even a single moment.

With a wisdom tempered by eons of battle, I have known the horror of this realm I called as 'home', and experienced many painful wounds enough to make me believe that death was a far better option than living.

Thus I wondered. I do not know this voice. I do not recall of having heard of it. Even among the dragons I have encountered, none sounded so... so...

 _Terrifying._

I cast my gaze up toward the ethereal sky glimmering with stars. Stars of different worlds. Of different realms. Of different dimensions.

This realm disconnected from everything, was inversely, connected to everything. All kind of creatures that took residence here by no means came from different times, but also places. Oddly similar like how the Throne of Heroes heeded calling from different times or places, but working in reserve for this realm.

Where everything existed and not, here was a nexus similar to melting pot filled to the brim by beasts struggling for survival. Yet in this realm...

I sensed it. A King had descended, indomitable and powerful without peers. That greatest presence caused the realm to tremble...

 _And the sky shattered._

"...that's..."

What I saw was something like a stained glass of different colors. Various shards of the sky fell as something unexplainable twisted the space within the hole that suddenly appeared in the heaven.

Then, as another roar echoed... I could finally see it.

A body that seemed like it could crush the world. Crimson wings that seemed like to carry the entire sky. A long tail, strong back legs with elongated arms, all equipped by a set of cruel claws. And a head that possessed the unique characteristics of a single species.

"A... dragon." I voiced out, my breath was taken by the sheer size and power the soaring creature gave.

He radiated with power from every inch of his body. With insurmountable amount of prana, he carried himself as if he was swimming in the atmosphere where the thickest layer of prana could have dropped him down like a deadweight.

His eyes, glazing over the landscape as if sneering at all that were below him shone. Only fools in want of death could ever meet his gaze, yet I stood in silence.

Captivated, by the existence that made me feeble. A figure that was similar to those I have met. A figure... that radiated the will to abide what they wanted by upholding their own ideal.

But then, I noticed a chill. Something warned me... no, told me. And in the next instant, I recognized one fact.

The dragon was staring at me.

In his eyes, my figure was reflected. I thought he was staring at the treasure I possessed but his eyes showed no sign of moving. No sign of greed. No sign of desire.

Only staring as if measuring my worth.

Then - the dragon snorted, before letting loose an earth-shattering roar.

The entire realm trembled. I trembled. My entire body and my senses shivered uncontrollably as if my existence was being distorted from the inside-out.

Then I heard the sounds of glass breaking apart. I looked behind me, witnessing a spectacle similar to the one that appeared in the sky.

 _A dimensional boundary was destroyed._

Just like that? With a simple roar? An incoherent word carrying no meaning except to flaunt one's own might and Majesty...

Is capable of shattering the barrier of dimension this realm had? What kind of absurd power is that? Isn't this already at the same level of Second Magic?

"Come."

I whipped my head up, hearing a deep voice holding authority. I looked up as the red dragon opened up another dimensional tunnel before him, his body slowly entering the distorted space.

"Come. My brethren." I heard his voice again.

It prompted me to look behind me. At the destroyed dimensional wall enough for me to enter. I know nothing of what lied beyond it but I glanced at it, then at the treasure I had.

I don't know what I should do. I am bound by a duty to protect this grail so that man cannot ruin itself. If I left it alone, what would happen to it?

...I...

 _"Come."_

Then I heard his voice again, and another change occurred.

The Treasure shone as if it had found a wish. I blinked in surprise as suddenky, the ground beneath it caved in and the Greater Grail was swallowed by the earth.

What...?! I was shocked by the spectacle, but then I felt a trace of prana drifting in the air. And it carried the scent of...

Is this a spell...? To contain the Grail? How could this be possible?

But... but... if what I am seeing is the truth, then... the Greater Grail can no longer be reached by anyone, even by me.

I stared at the ground where the Treasure was swallowed up. The wish-granting machine no longer able to influence man, sealed for eternity by a dragon that surpassed any other dragon.

And it means... my duty too has ended, right at this moment.

"Come." I heard the voice as the dimensional boundary began to restore itself.

Staring at the unknown, I was washed over by anxiety. With my duty, my sworn oath be fulfilled ahead of time, I did not know what to-do. I hesitated, even as the gap between dimensions repaired itself.

I remembered how I longed for companion. I remembered the times that have long passed. The war I participated in out of my selfish desire. The bonds I built... the promise I made with those that trusted me.

...I... remember clearly.

 _'Live. For all of us.'_

Thus my siblings told me. My family said with all the loving grace and warmth blessing me. The Homunculus born from alchemical experiments reminded me.

 _'Live freely. Away from this place. Away from greed that consumed man.'_

I recalled what they wanted. Their desires so that I could live freely. So that I am allowed to possess freedom. To have a free will.

 _'We will meet again...'_

And I remembered vividly an oath I have carved on my soul. With a certain saint. With a certain Maiden of Orlean.

"Come." The dragon commanded.

"...ah." I nodded in response.

I walked toward it. I approached the distorted dimension before me, feeling something blowing against me.

Wind... a wind that was similar to the one when I broke out from my human shell. A fresh wind that drew me in to soar into the distant horizon.

I accepted it, embraced it-I dove into the unknown for the second time.

I will live... and I will, this time, choose my own fate.

* * *

 **-Author's Rambling-**

And so, the prologue ends. Uh... I'm not sure of the execution since I only gllimpsed a little of Vol. 5, and took my own interpretation about the rest of it. Even though I can't read Japanese, I can still give my effort to understand reoccurring phrases. Also, Katakana and Hiragana aren't going to be a trouble soon for me.

What about kanjis? Don't ask. Just... don't. Other than that, I'm not too much into technical details, or magecraft except those in general so it'll be great if I can have a crash course without having to melt my brain out in the first few hours. Even though our MC here is a Beast, he's also formerly a Hybrid, and closely resemble our auburn-haired Ally of Justice in some sides (like the 'Faker' moniker).


	2. Chapter 1 - Awakening

I woke up with a twinge headache. Not that it was the first time as whenever I overburdened my Magic Circuits, or when I used Command Spell, massive exhaustion alongside a wave of pain always made me feel like my body was torn apart.

Even so, as a Homunculus and as one that received the heart of the Dragonblooded Knight, my body became stronger and was allowed to live longer than ordinary human. While seizure warped my mind, memories resurfaced, jumbled in chaos that doubled my pain. Every throb caused me to wince and I gritted my teeth just to ensure no scream escaped from my mouth.

It was... it was _extremely painful._

Then I sensed the world distorting, undulating for a little while before everything settled down, all manner of colors slowly formed proper shapes.

A waist coat draped over sleeved white shirts. Black trousers and leather shoes that seemed to meld in with the room's atmosphere that was decorated with classic furniture.

I paused. "...what...?"

What was that earlier? Clothes...? Limbs? Whose...

"...huh...?" I blinked, all of my headache and throbbing pain racking my brain ceased to be listed in my priority.

I decided to swallow the information I obtained so far. Clothes, familiar clothes were draped over slender limbs with a skinny, seemingly androgynous body. Below the humanoid body was a sofa, possibly of finest quality containing swans' feathers. Or maybe other high-quality materials.

Then the old oak brown carpet, the rectangular knee-high tea table, three couches possessing similar design to the sofa I was in, a window opened to allow lukewarm breeze to enter, and a room furnished so as to reminisce from old age, just like the interior of the castle of Yggdmillennia.

I was inside a room. A room built by man, and I was situated on a sofa with no one else around me. It made me anxious, but... my concern had long shifted from scanning the surrounding to something else. Something important.

And that was... me.

"Wh-Why...?" I looked at myself once more, taking in the facts that sent me into an alerted state.

My body was the first warning.

I became a dragon without dying or going mad so of course I have dominion over a vast power. I lived by breathing in the prana in the atmosphere, and my form could change as I please. However, back at the Reverse Side of the World, I was stuck in guarding Greater Grail to ensure no wicked being could use it for destructive purposes. While doing so, I persisted in waiting for a promise to be fulfilled, one that I could live with by spending eternity in solitude. _But now...?_

I was freed from my duty before the promised time arrived, then I remembered passing through the gap of dimensions in dragon form.

So how did I turn back into human form without me knowing it? _I didn't even remember anything the moment I entered the gap of dimensions._

The next thing would be my clothes.

These are the clothes I wore back there. When I first lived my life in Trifas, and the ones I wore when I plunged into the Hanging Gardens of Babylon. The size, the color, the style, even the length of the sleeves were the same.

Who... dressed me in this outfit? Did Rider walked by me again? What kind of person would go all the way to make sure the clothes matched those in my memories...?

"Lastly..." I exhaled, feeling incredibly helpless as I fished out small objects that were found in my trousers' pocket.

Seven pieces were there. They looked like chess pieces but it was obvious from the number alone, there should have been something that was missing. Even more... Each of them was unique in their own way. No, not only unique, but _familiar._

A piece with the shape of a fully armored knight holding up the blade of his sword to the heaven. _The Saber-class piece._

A piece with the shape of a man holding a spear and resting it against his shoulder. _The Lancer-class piece._

A piece with the shape of a ferocious half-beast, half-man with a crude battle axe ready to be swung down. _The Berserker-class piece._

A piece with the shape of a bowman with a hat, his arrow notched and aimed upward. _The Archer-class piece._

A piece with the shape of a robed elderly holding a staff, as if a spell was about to be cast. _The Caster-class piece._

A piece with the shape of one person in a chariot, possessing a whip as if trying to control the beast that pulled it. _The Rider-class piece._

A piece with the shape of a skull-masked and cloth-wrapped skinny dagger wielder. _The Assassin-class piece._

"...Servant Pieces..." I glimpsed over them all, inspecting each as if Gaia was throwing me an unknown gift without definite aim.

Unfortunately, the chess pieces stylized from the image of Servants were not made by mystical materials. With Structural Analysis alone, I could see that while the miniatures' materials were quite unorthodox, nothing was inserted into them. Not even a spell. Not even a mechanism.

Just a plain set of modified chess pieces. One could even call them as a variant to chess pieces, though I doubt they could be used for a game. Servants after all, varied depending on the summoning and their capabilities differed from one with another. The factor of experience and luck couldn't be overruled as well. Adding external influences could also change the outcome of a battle greatly...

"...Even so... How did these fall into my hands?" I lined them up on the table in front of the sofa.

After a fruitless investigation, I chose to set aside the matter and put them back into my pocket, this time in my waist coat's. I looked behind me, at the open window that permitted cold but slightly warm breeze to enter the room. If the glow of orange sky was of any indication, perhaps it was nearing dusk.

"...might as well knowing where I am." I mumbled, confirming my next course of action.

I marveled the room and saw the world from the windows, then I gained more information to understand my mysterious situation.

I am on earth. I am on the Surface World, assuming my belief is not incorrect. However... this isn't the earth I knew, for the amount of prana drifting in the air was the largest factor to boost my doubts.

With the Age of Man's dawn and the loss of Unified Language, the decline of prana was the first to note for. The quality of magecraft produced was reduced as Mysteries dwindled in the wake of humanity's growing pragmatic belief. The faithless humans no longer relied on Gods which forced them to leave the Surface World, lest they risked their own extinction.

It couldn't be helped that I felt anxious, as whatever had happened back when I followed that dragon, something must have caused me to pass out only to wake up in my human form. Even more worrisome...

"...why do I have the Command Spells?" Raising my left hand, I glared as if boring a hole.

The back of my hand was carved with black marks that signified a symbol. There were three of them, all creating the motifs of a dragon, and they gave off the ominous signs as if they were a curse waiting to be unleashed.

What disturbed me wasn't the number of Command Spells I could use. It was the fact that the Command Spells appeared only when a Holy Grail was in proximity, and mine appeared due to having being implanted with Spiritual Core of Saber of Black, like an unprecedented bug in a flawless system. How could I believe Gaia was gracing me when my form, my Command Spells, and my clothing all matched the past me before I plunged head straight into the Hanging Gardens of Babylon?

Not only that, I wasn't sure if the Command Spells truly worked the same as before, or if they functioned in a different way for a different purpose. Now that I can shapeshift by my own, the Command Spells would probably serve as a method in case of difficult opponents such as fellow dragons. At the very least, there were several abilities that still latched on me due to them strictly related with my life's continuity, and His abilities included tremendous effects that could slay dragons. Still-

"...something. Something must have happened..." I mumbled repetitively as I crossed my arms and frowning deeply in thought.

It was then that the door was swung open. A soothing serenade, the like I ever heard, echoed as the figure of a person entered my sight.

"Oh, you woke up at last."

 _Crimson._

It was the first thing that crossed my mind. While I was alerted by the sudden presence, I didn't have a weapon on me and it didn't harbor any I'll intent.

Wrong... I was instead overwhelmed.

As the person with beautiful voice (Not as much as Rider's oddly childish feminine intonation) was registered in my eyes fully, I first noted the primary characteristic was the sex. A female a human wearing a school uniform. I tilted my head as the scent she carried felt extremely sweet but thorny as if should I get lured by it, there was no escape. Next would be her figure that clearly perceived her as a young woman albeit with the proportion that seemed to surpass common ones'.

Again, it certified her as beyond standard but I might have lacked the usual response judging from the ghost of an expression she had for an instance. In my case, I do believe Ruler is above her though back then, she was borrowing the body of a young girl with high affinity to synchronize with her.

Hm. Her case is similar to mine though I can only possess His form for 180 seconds.

"Yes. I somehow was able to sort most of my problems." I answered simply.

Ah, now I'm missing her too. I wonder if Laeticia got away safely. She's practically an innocent dragged into a free-for-all war that might be worse than genocide. On hindsight, has her awkwardness whenever she talked to the opposite sex been cured yet?

"I see. But is your body saying the same? You fell from a tree headfirst. What happened?" The girl with inhuman presence asked after she settled on a chair across the couch.

...huh? I fell from _a tree?_

"...I... uh..." I stammered, not knowing what to say about that all.

I mean, what... what... what in Gaia's simplistic name did... How could I...

"Is something wrong?" The girl in uniform asked.

I looked away, waving a hand to gesture 'it's nothing' calmly even though my mind was anything but. How could I not? I didn't remember I acted so dumb enough that I'd fall from a tree and lost a portion of my memories. But after further thinking about it...

Eh, it's far better than being called as a perverted crossdesser. Rider had it worse anyway when Ruler pointed it out. Then again, my answer... is... Uh...

"...I was just... having a nap." I sighed as I wiped down my hand over my face. _A blatant lie is all I could afford to say._

I must have fallen from the dimensional gap. The only plausible explanation would be I did something or found something that caused the reversal of my dragonic transformation, one that somehow robbed me of my consciousness and sent me into this world before I was corroded by the void.

Obviously, I'm not dumb enough to be limited by man's wisdom.

As a Phantasmal Beast, I have learned various things about what most regarded as taboo and my journey to the Reverse Side of the World gave me wondrous insights. In fact, it'd be strange for a Beast of Gaia such as I to be underinformed of the most fundamental knowledgee.

"Really...?" The girl hummed as if she was trying to see through my simple, bad excuse. "Well, no matter how comfortable a tree is, you should take care of yourself. It was purely coincidental that my junior passed by you."

Ah... I'm being scolded. How refreshing... It has been a long time ever since I was subjected to strict advice, though Ruler sometimes exaggerated it most of the time. As one that lived a life as a Saint, she was far too concerned about other people's wellbeing instead of her own.

Yes. She even insisted that I have to sleep in the same bed with her just because there's no spare one. Rider turned to like teasing her as my mother due to her overprotective nature.

I shook my head to clear my thoughts, and bowed my head. "I understand. I'm sorry for the inconvenience I have caused."

Even though she has a strange scent, I was saved once again. While as a Homunculus with a Heroic Spirit's Spiritual Core gave perks in tremendous increase of physical strength, I can barely keep up with a Servant without using my dragonic traits. Not that buying time is out of my reach but if my opponent were Lancer or Saber, I'd be run through in a minute.

Especially if my opponent was a Dragon Slayer such as St. George. Hence the reason why I expressed my sincerity.

"No no, my underclassman was the one who helped you." The crimson-haired girl waved her hand. "So you should thank her. I simply provided this place."

Is that... so...?

I wasn't sure of what to-do. Come to think of it, that name sounded foreign even though the girl spoke in Japanese...

Wait. Japanese? But she too didn't look like one... Also, admittedly, she smelled unlike any other human I ever met. I wondered if she was a Magus but I saw nothing like a sign of madness Magus always had in her eyes.

...no, let's not jump too far to the conclusion. I cannot warrant any suspicion and technically, a Homunculus is still a resident of the Moonlit World. For now, I should give her the benefits of doubt while maintaining a proper distance.

If so... "Then, do you mind relaying my gratitude to..."

The girl smiled. "Her name is Asia Argento. And I am Rias. Rias Gremory. Pleased to meet you-"

"Sieg. My name is Sieg." I complemented readily. I even had a tinge of pride since I have long recognized this form as His last legacy, even after his sudden departure.

Gremory, huh...? Now, I wonder where have I heard of that name... It's definitely not a common family name in Japan and I don't think I've heard of such name mentioned among the Magi of Yggdmillennia.

Perhaps, she really is a foreigner student.

"Then Sieg-kun, take care of yourself."

I nodded as my response. In Trifas, nobody would have cared but here... I have to be a cog, blending in naturally to ensure my true identity is not exposed. Of all things possible, I wouldn't want to be hunted down by Mage's Association or the Church in my first day of new life.

It might be selfish and childish but I have yet to accept Magi and their ways in dealing with things, especially if they involved Homunculus. If anything, I truly don't want to meet a Magus as much as possible.

However... during my mulling, Rias Gremory seemed to show a strange glint in her cerulean-green eyes. I felt a chill but looking back, the wind was taking up its pace and basking my back roughly, dispelling my worry instantly.

"Ah, I'll be sure to tell her. After all, she's my cute underclassman and a member of the Occult Research Club." The crimson-haired girl chuckled.

I sweatdropped. Occult... Research... Club...? What is that... that ominous-sounding name? Does she have no fear of the path she is treading on? As I thought... taking a quick leave is the correct option.

I bowed and strode out the room quickly, entering a hallway possessing the same classical design of a western mansion. From the windows, it seemed I was on the second floor... hm?

"Rias, we need to talk." A girl passed by me right after I took two steps away from the room I woke up in.

Next, the door was closed shut. Hard. Also locked from the inside.

Staring at the door, I wondered who was that girl. She carried similar scent though hers felt like... it was like being near a glacier, or an ice crystal. And that gaze of hers...

What a sharp gaze. Not many could show such glare and it reminded me of an angry Archer of Red. Still, why did she look so upset?

"...well, I don't think I should interfere." I decided as I walked in the opposite direction, searching for a staircase that would lead me downstairs...

I promptly stopped midway through.

"...Is it just me or is this building... bigger than I thought it looked like?"

* * *

"Care to explain, Rias? Why did you let that intruder go?" Souna Shitori, no, Sona Sitri drawled after giving out questions.

Her childhood friend merely shrugged before crossing her fingers.

"Now now, Sona, it's not like I am letting him off the hook yet. You know what he did." Rias smiled.

The two Pure-blooded Devils knew very well what it was. Sona readjusted her glasses, the lens flashing and reflecting the light as she recounted the deeds the boy unconsciously did.

"Passing through detection spells without alerting them, breaking the defensive bounded fields with so much ease and landed without any sort of harm... By all means, he's NOT a human." Sona scowled.

"Perhaps he's NOT _an ordinary_ human. Some Sacred Gear users have physical aspects above average right?" Rias quipped.

The heiress of Sitri's ill mood was not appeased at all. _No_ , she was blatantly outraged. Normally, she would have carried everything with cold and calculating demeanor but only for this case could she throw everything aside.

After all... an intruder bypassed the combination of bounded fields, unscathed even after shattering the tough ones and landed in the school ground. HER school ground! The very place she prided, cared, and watched over for these years was invaded so easily as if mocking her efforts!

"Rias... I may have tolerated you by withdrawing in inviting a potential peerage before but this? We don't even know who or what he is!"

Rias' smile turned bitter. Sona truly loved Kuoh Academy. It wasn't wrong to say she would do anything just to protect this place.

Even so, she too had her own reasons to fight for. "It's fine. I already ordered my peerage to watch over him. Also, I intend to have Koneko identify his true nature."

With the cards laid out, and after considering them, Sona loosened her glare and relaxed her shoulders. With her glass readjusted once again, it looked as if she was making a new scheme.

"I see... but I'm still uncertain so a part of the Student Council will go along with your peerage."

"Oh my, am I so untrusted?"

"It's because you have already gained _two_ exceptional new members."

Sona half-glared in annoyance. How could she not? Imagine having to receive one rare Sacred Gear user, a Longinus bearer and a powerful healing-type Sacred Gear user in a matter of a month. Even more, the Longinus was the Boosted Gear which contained the soul of the Heavenly Dragon, Ddraig.

It looked ridiculously easy for Rias to have gained one of the two main adversaries which interrupted the Great War a thousand years ago. Compared to her, Sona's peerages were... slightly above average, but not as unique as her childhood friend's.

"Ara ara, you're jealous, aren't you, Sona?" Rias chuckled in amusement.

"I am simply doing my job as Kuoh Academy's Student Council President." Sona quipped.

"Yesyes, and then... what else?" Rias half-heartedly inquired.

Sona's lips twitched. There fell a sudden silence. Before the heiress of Gremory could perceive it, a question was thrown out.

"Oh, yes. When will _your fiancé_ appear? I need to be prepared as well to greet the heir of the Phenix."

Rias' mood quickly crashed down.

Sona: 1 Rias: 0

* * *

No sooner after I left the building, I marveled the lines of trees, the green lawn spread in-between a path that resembled animal trail for being used so very often, and the orange sky above.

The wind blew the green blades of grasses, leaves, and petals of flowers in a spiraling fashion. The distinct scent of a kind of flower allowed me to breathe in, acknowledging it as spring breeze, a breath of season, and I drowned myself in listening to the songs of mother nature.

Was it because of my trait as a dragon?

Certainly, I have lived for centuries as a Phantasmal Beast before. Comparing it with the life I once lived in as a Homunculus, life as a dragon was a far cry to anything else, and a dragon was renowned as a Mediator of Nature, the Avatar of Earth, or Guardian. My nature caused me to be more sensitive, more attentive to the surrounding environment as if I have been living with it for years. Even so...

"My life... All of it, is not a lie." I said, placing a hand on the left of my chest.

This beating heart told me that what I think is not wrong, that what I believe is surely the correct one. That's why I am capable of smiling proudly, honoring the past I carved with my decisions.

And I will continue to do that.

"Ah! You are...! You've woken up!" A new voice resounded.

I leveled my gaze, only to be greeted by a sun-kissed wave of hair, one that reawakened a past memory. I struggled not to hold my breath, still it was taken away as ruby red contacted emerald jewels.

A girl was there, in a uniform, with an innocent face bridging shock and relief as she rushed to me.

"A-are you okay? After all that, I'm sure you're confused... ah, can you remember anything? Do you have any discomfort? Are you..."

"Um..."

I was - overwhelmed. How could I not? Suddenly a girl walked up to me and asked me a thousand questions in a short period of time. I'm not even sure how could she not take in a single breath for a momentary rest.

Then I heard a dull thud from behind her. We both looked to the direction of the sound and...

"A-A-A-Asia...!? Wh-Who is thiiiiiisss...!?"

The first thing I could note from the person before me was one: noisy.

Not that it was a bad thing but my hunger seemed to test my temper. The more I stayed with empty stomach, the more I'd go on a rampage. This instinct of a prideful Transcendental Kind sure liked to pester me even in this form.

Well, at least, with the suppression of my power, I can live by intermingling with the people here.

"Ah, Issei-san! This is the person I told you!" The blonde girl smiled.

Unfortunately, it seemed to not have worked very well against the boy with jaw hanging loose. He looked like he received the news that his daughter was about to marry when a week, ago, she told him she would never intend to marry.

Huh... where did I use such reference? It must have been Rider's influence.

"Oh, yes! How could I forget!" The girl let go off my arm and stood between the two of us. "This is Hyoudou Issei-san, a member of the ORC and my classmate!"

I see. A fellow classmate and fellow member of club. I may be detached from worldly matter but it seemed the two have a strong connection. Although...

This scent... it smells familiar... But he is undoubtedly a human. No, this scent is just like the girls' from earlier. It's just an additional scent lingered... wait. Isn't this-

"And, my name is Asia Argento! I'm very sorry for the late introduction..." Argento trailed off.

That name... So that's it. I nodded in understanding. "Sieg. Please call me Sieg."

"A-ah, then Sieg- _san_! I'm very sorry for the late introduction!" Argento bowed her head to express her apology.

Such innocence and sincerity... Ruler would smile widely if they met each other.

"No, it's fine. In fact, I wish to thank you for your help. It was you that helped me when I fell, right, Argento-san?"

"Eh...?! Th-that... it was nothing, really! I'm just very glad you are safe!"

...as I thought, she's a good girl. But her surprised face... could it be she's embarrassed by being called with 'san'? It seemed she reacted when I called her like that.

Then I noticed.

"Although..." I paused, and I pointed my index finger at the boy. "That one. It seems he fainted while standing."

His eyes even rolled behind that only white was present.

"Eh!? Issei-san?! Issei-san...! What's wrong, Issei-san?! Please come back to us, Issei-san...!"

* * *

"Hee... so you fell from a tree headfirst? Are you an idiot?"

So asked the brown haired, brown-eyed boy with odd style of hair. In-between chewing his food, a sandwich or a hamburger, whatever it is called, the boy who I was introduced to as Issei Hyoudou seemed like he wasn't a tactful person.

On the contrary, he looked like a simpleton. I'm not even sure Rider could look so readable and that person is already one seen as someone of Chaotic alignment by a mere glance. I shook my head as the boy with school uniform bantered with the girl, Asia Argento, about something like 'bad manners' and 'forgiveness' in a tone befitting one of a Nun.

I wasn't sure why she grunted in pain whenever she was about to utter holy praise to God. Judging from the half-finished phrases, she must be a Christian believer like Ruler.

Watching the conversation unfolding, I somehow reminisced how Ruler and Rider would act if placed next to each other in the tavern. Ah, yeah... this kind of happened until Saber barged in.

"Oh, Sieg-san. Aren't you going to eat too?" Argento reminded me.

I nodded, staring at the wrapped hamburger on the table. This place is called a chain food store, one that served pre-made meals with reasonable prices. Since at Tirfas, local tradition has a strong influence and was the main dwelling of a Clan of Magi, technology had little to fare with Magi's longstanding loathing.

With that, this might be the first time in centuries that I could eat food made by human. Peeling the plastic wrapping, my sharp nose was assailed with collective scent of bread, ham, vegetable and sauces. Far richer than European cuisine, and seemed to have a lot of grease among its nutritional aspects.

"...it smells good." Still I commented honestly.

"Really? Isn't it just a hamburger?" Hyoudou quipped.

"Ah, but I understand it well! Sieg-san, please do try it ! Your eyes will be opened to a new world!" Argento encouraged me.

I gulped in nervousness. I was both worried and excited. What is this food? What kind of flavor does it have? Will I like it?

The more I asked myself, the sooner I realized one thing that should've been natural for me. It was my curiosity. My personal desire to know and to understand life. It seemed I have embarrassed myself by abiding it.

It couldn't be helped as it was the first thing I ever had. The gift bestowed upon me was the 'awareness' of what I am. Even back there, I was curious of everything, scared of everything, fearing destruction that was the equivalent of death. Compared to tasting one piece of food...

"Truly, this pales in comparison."I smiled thinly as I sorted out my fear.

Then I steeled my heart, and bit a mouthful of the food I held. Slowly savoring the meal with reasonable pace...

"...err...? You okay, man?"

One second passed. Two seconds passed. Three seconds passed...

I nodded very slowly.

"It's... good." I commented before increasing my pace both in savoring as well as eating the hamburger.

Argento beamed a smile. "Don't you think so too!?"

Yeah. I don't think I ever ate this kind of divine delicacy before. Maybe back at Tirfas, I should've ordered that Salisbury steak. While she said it was below the standard of someone such as her...

Saber was quite a selfish glutton not to show it on her face.

* * *

"Huff...! Man, that was good! Let's go home, Asia!" Hyoudou said as he walked outside the chain food store.

"Ah, please wait!" Argento said, then she glanced at me.

I smiled at her, "go on. I'm fine now. We'll meet again."

The girl looked worried for several moments. I heard Hyoudou's distant voice so I nudged at Argento, the girl bowing her head before parting with me. I watched the two's backs, as I recalled what I just said.

"'We'll meet again...' huh?"

I craned my head upward, realizing how time would soon advance into evening. The stars faintly shone beyond the clouds as one brighter star exposed itself near the sinking sun.

"...Now that I think about it, I don't know much about astronomy or stars seeing." I murmured.

It had been so long ever since I could see constellations I recognized. It had been a very long time ever since I was enveloped by the warmth of dawn and the coldness of night, all at the same time. Earlier, I conversed with Argento and Hyoudou, making sure I didn't reveal anything odd about my behavior. In their eyes, I looked like a foreigner tourist that knew nothing about Japan so I kept up with that facade as long as I can.

And yes, I have confirmed that I am in Japan.

Ruler taught me the importance of information. It was a given since without knowing anything, defeating even a third-rate Magus would be beyond my reach. I have no weapon with me, I'm not in the battlefield and the place I came to is a relatively safe place to hide for fellow Magi to conduct in secrecy.

The reason being: I have yet to confirm the Association's presence.

This world is Earth but it is Earth of a parallel universe. I crossed over the dimensional gap only to arrive in a universe closely resembling the one I came from. If that is so, it is not impossible if there is one equivalent presence to the Association. I can't risk exposing myself until I understood my form and my capability. I don't even know if magecraft or Holy Grail war existed.

Yet the two, and the ones in that building smelled unlike humans. They didn't smell like Dead Apostles but I was familiar with it.

The scent of non-humans. Or maybe those that abandoned their humanity. Or maybe the Magi here all smelled like that. So many theories to uncover...

"I'll have to know more. I mustn't lower my guard here." I said as if swearing an oath.

With my Command Spells existing, there must be a powerful artifact comparable to Holy Grail around. I cannot allow such artifact to exist in a world where influence of Gaia and Alaya is at the lowest.

Or else, someone unrelated to the matter will be sacrificed. Or else, the same thing will happen again. Or else, someone will be saddened, and hurt again. _Or else... the future Ruler desired to protect will never exist._

And so, with conviction, I spun my heels, walking down the street in a city filled with lights that obscured the dazzle of stars.

* * *

"Hmh... as I thought, even here too." I narrowed my eyes as I looked up on a residence.

There was a bounded field set to surround this house. It's not too weak or strong, and the purpose seemed to be solely for protection and detection. It's a security mechanism.

For ordinary humans and Magus, it would have been hard to notice it but dragon is sensitive to the fluctuation of prana. I can't help but be drawn by the scent of unnatural magical change in the environment. Still... this counted as the 6th spot where a bounded field was cast. Other than that, another surveillance spell was placed in a corner where nobody would ever expect, but still having a wide range to record.

"...rather than settling in one place, the clan of Magi here chose to live separately, huh?" I assumed as I remembered the similarity between each bounded field, and their relation to each residence.

Particularly this one where the word 'Hyoudou' was written to identify the residents. It can't be that he's a Magus...

"Still... he doesn't give the scent of one." I dismissed my dangerous presumptions.

After all, Magus are often related to madness.

They'd do everything, even mass killing as long as they could advance their research to seek the Akasha. They would kill their entire family if they proved as a hindrance, and they believed the result justified the method.

They were no different than monsters.

Humans who abandoned the principle of being 'human'. It's no wonder that they could never be able to blend with society, choosing to seclude their selves as if shutting their heart for a dream they may never accomplish in a lifetime.

As I wandered through the empty streets, sighting the city from a corner to another, I stumbled upon a decrepit building.

"...a church... huh?" I stared at it, finding how badly treated the entire building and surrounding were.

Overgrown wild grasses. Vines and mosses filling the corner of the pillars while the roof rotted beyond repair. The abandoned church was anything but decent, both in appearance and function.

"Well... I don't exactly have a place to sleep." I sighed ruefully at the obvious fact that I was homeless and had no signature to prove my existence in this world.

At least officially. In any case, I doubted there would be anyone that can blame me in lodging here. And so I entered the church's premise, passing through the front yard and the broken gate.

"...hm?" I narrowed my eyes as my nose tingled.

There were slight distortion in the air. It smelled like something corrupted and something divine mixed together. Not only that, there was a scent I knew way too well.

"Blood... and scars of battle?" I scanned the damages done to the interior of the church.

While they were covered with some sort of spell, and some having been repaired to some extent, there were faint traces of prana lingering around the area. It was too bad as my sight is far heightened than ordinary magical beings'.

"Oh dear? I never thought there'd be a guest."

Hm...? I tilted my head as someone stood at the doorstep. And my brows knitted together.

"Who are you?" I asked.

"Same goes to you, young man. Why are you here?" The stranger asked back.

"...I wanted to retire for tonight." I flatly answered.

"Here? In this decrepit church?"

The person paced in, his shoes knocked against the stone floors lightly and resounded within the building. His coat fluttered as he walked, his sleek dark hair mixing with blond strands swayed. His golden eyes held unbelievable warmth and curiosity as he stopped near me.

"Don't you have home to return to?" The person - the man asked, his intonation was filled with interests and a tinge of worry.

But from up close, he was handsome. It was to the extent that it looked... inhuman. I wondered why. Still, I ignored the tugging in my heart, and chose to do what I always liked to do: talking it out.

"I... don't have a home." I replied, remembering the choice I've made. "I left it behind, and never will be able or allowed to return."

The man's eyebrow rose up slightly, a sympathetic expression was displayed as he looked around, his golden gaze found a bench that escaped destruction and decay, and sat on it.

"I see... I shall not ask further. Clearly, a lost lamb such as you deserve the mercy of a safe slumber, no matter who or what you are."

I nodded silently, acknowledging his intention. It was then that my tired mind prompted my body to settle on a bench diagonally across him.

"...but tell me, young man. Why do you not ask for help? Clearly, there are people that care for you, and will aid you should you be in a turbulent time." The man remarked.

With a sidelong stare, I caught his golden eyes peering at me, as if they were gauging. Should I lie, or should I answer honestly? His words were truthful and had points that I couldn't ignore so easily.

As tired as my mind could be, all I could think of was only this excuse.

"It is my decision." I answered.

The man tilted his head, "You chose... to stay away from them? Why would you?"

"Because it allowed me to protect them." I cast my gaze down.

There was a short silence between us. And the man asked.

"Why? Are you not in trouble as well? It is a given for one to help another. And in doing so, returning the debt by helping each other. To request for help is not a foolish thing."

"But I can't. I don't want to trouble them. Not when I can do something about it."

I shook my head. No... I guess that is nothing more than an excuse. When I set out for my path, I saw my comrades being hurt, thrown into life-and-death situation like a firewood tossed into the bonfire. At that time, I heard their voices, their sadness, their griefs as they perished like plucked flowers.

I hated that. I grieved for my comrades' death, resenting myself for being unable to do anything. Regretting my own weaknesses for being so hopeless. Why can't I do anything? Isn't there something I can do? Why am I so powerless?

"Now is different," I said though more like telling myself, "I don't want to repeat the same mistake."

I clenched my left hand as I swore an oath to myself, I reminded myself of the path a Fake Priest chose to trudge in.

And I remember the reason why I took up the Grail in my hands. _For the thing She fought for..._

"Thus you chose to step away from their reach... For their sake?"

I nodded deeply, "If that is what it takes to protect them, then I am prepared to spend eternity in solitude."

"...a noble, yet foolish answer." He pointed out.

"I know. I have nothing else to offer." Shrugging, I flopped down.

As I shifted to a more comfortable position, I closed my ruby red eyes. Moment by moment, minutes after minutes...

"Even so, you are... contradicting yourself, just like a human. Very well, I shall indulge in watching over this church."

Like a human... is it...?

"...I see... Thank you..." I nodded as my consciousness faded.

"Yes. You need not be sorry, for it is your own right to display your gratitude rather than lowering yourself, young man."

* * *

I first heard chirps of birds near my ears. Slowly cracking open my eyes, what I saw was a stream of sunlight, warm contrasting the cold air that stroked my face. Again, I heard a chirp and slowly rotated my head, finding pigeons, doves as well as little birds that usually flocked in a building construct for some sunbathing.

They all seemed to notice my gaze, but they did not flee. No... instead of ignoring me, they were staring back at me with dark eyes devoid of malice. Only simple, raw innocence as a beast.

It was just their plain instinct. Even so... I found myself smiling.

"Good morning." As I sat up with a grunt, a wave of chirping greeted me.

Hah... I don't exactly understand you all but it seemed you don't fear me huh? Some dragon I am, really.

When I stood up, the birds all flew to the attic, still watching with interests as I looked around to find no trace of the man that appeared last night.

"He's not a human too... huh?" I mumbled as I remembered the power he carried.

He was powerful. A being that could compress his own power to a level where ordinary people could not be sickened despite him being around. The amount of prana he had was beyond the people I met yesterday. Comparing them was like comparing a drop of water with an ocean. And yet... he didn't do anything when I slept.

Despite my careless impression, I was actually sound awake all the time. Reason being I taught myself in the arts of resting yet still capable of springing up in action the moment the slightest disturbance is around. As I thought, he just wanted to know my intention and identity. He might be the owner of the church or an agent of it.

"I guess it's a blessing-in-disguise that I forced myself to converse with him." I muttered as I stretched my limbs...

Hm? I smelled scent of food. Rolling my gaze to the front pedestal, on a fallen podium where the Priest usually took charge in giving sermons... There was a plate with rye bread and a cup of tea. Also, a scrap of paper was under the plate.

"..." I didn't know what to say about this.

Heck, strange thing just happened one after another. Since even with my heightened vision and identification spells, nothing could be identified as a trap, I waltzed toward the bread and tea, inspecting them with narrowed eyes.

"...nothing again. Either he's that smart and able that he could hide the trap or..."

A genuine treat. I wonder if I should check the paper first.

"Well, let's first check it." I pulled the paper, finding words written in a clean and archaic manner.

Too bad, dragons have vast wisdom so translating the archaic language was nothing for me. Besides, I'm not particularly interested in the destructive spectrum of spells. The handy ones such as auto-translation and infodumping for Servants was more to my alley. So, the content of the notes is:

Good morning,

Considering your circumstance, I took the liberty in making some meal. It may be unremarkable and unsuitable to your taste, but I assure you that it is far better rather than going on with sufferings and empty stomach.

The Fallen Watcher of Star  


"...I see. Watcher of Star... is it?" I mulled in about the alias, recalling an ancient name that seemed to be in line with a holy artifact's etymology.

Ah, another perk for being a dragon: long-lasting memories will never die.

I shook my head as I sat down next to the plate, "Thank you for the treat, then."

A cold morning with a warm bread and a cup of tea, surrounded by the songs of birds, deep inside a ruin that once belonged to the followers of a higher being while being basked by the light of dawn.

Truly, I am living up an interesting life.

* * *

 **-Author's Rambling-**

First thing first, I've decided to begin from Volume 2 out of concern over materials, and that vol. 1 is too personal for Issei to be used as a beginning point. DxD hasn't had a new release for the past months so I have to measure the storyline carefully. Extra volume isn't going to appear, while Apocrypha has ended. I also wanted to have Sieg interact with the main casts so as not to rush things out, but then again, Yakitori Arc serves merely as introduction for him.

Next, we have something very interesting in the hands of our Insta-Servant. The Servant Pieces(temp) is a system I'm working on. Crossover isn't a crossover if I don't make something out of the two franchises right? Also, which Class do you want to appear? And who's first? The choices are strictly limited to F/A but Caster-class is open to any other source! Pick your choice! Make your list! Use review or PM or whatever!

* * *

 **RAC**

 _Kirin:_ Not the strongest of course. He might be huge and lived for a long time but he spent it only to guard the Greater Grail. Otherwise, he wouldn't be frightened by Great Red. Of course, Sieg has 1st-class Magic Circuit and as a dragon, Magic Talent is common sense. Other than that, you'll have your answer here for shapeshift while Outrage depended on his nature as a dragon, which will be explored for certain at some point.

 _King0fP0wers:_ Thank you for the compliment but it's just surprising to see not many seeing use of him much. And he's a dragon after F/A so he fits the picture in DxD. And for your curiosity, here's the answer.

 _T-B-R:_ Glad you're interested!

 _Shin XIX:_ I had to brainstorm a little and it still needs tweaking in some parts.

 _gundam 09:_ Yes, here is the next chapter.


	3. Chapter 2 - Intervening

**UPDATE 04/07/2016:** _Fixed some character description.  
_

* * *

 _Ridiculous!_

One could even say it was beyond ridiculous. _THAT, was utterly idiotic!_

How could it not? Take a look at the mess here! A tunnel where color distorted, where light could die and life wilting away if exposed for a certain amount of time... _and it was wrecked._

Very much. Oh, how he'd love to meet that fool of a brethren and beat some sense into him...! _I mean... how could he... He...!_

He was beyond idiotic! Like a fucking, godforsaken KID! _Gee, I wonder how long he actually has lived with that size…_

Shaking his head. He began to clean up the realm he proclaimed as a home. Not that he claimed it but that damn Snake was way too reclusive. He just wanted to pass by to find some new entertainment beyond the gap, and perhaps, greeted her but things went south instantly.

More like, she was offended as if she was kicked out of her house. _Child._

Again, shaking his head, he tried to repair the damages caused. It wasn't hard for one as great as him but it would take time. After all, what had happened was like a storm that exploded after being caged and compressed to a minuscule size.

Oh, it'll be the longest time he could ever spend in staying idly and do micromanagement. Time that could have been better used to fly to seek some new scenery in other dimensions... *grumble* *grumble*

Anyway, he ought to be quick about this, then find that goddamn kid before he wrecked everything again. Despite being a powerful entity, his control over his power was... insanely underwhelming.

 _By the dead God and Satan, who taught him he could just waltz around wearing his soul on his sleeves?_

It was one case for humans, those miscreant creatures, to show their honesty but dragons were different. Dragons are power. The pinnacle of chaos and order, able to devastate everything with a pound of foot, incinerated a country with one breath and would grow stronger exponentially the longer they existed.

Hell, he represented dream and illusion. As long as something had an ideal to pursue, his strength would skyrocket due to the devotion that became prayer in worshiping him. In all, it was quite similar to how eons of prayers formed a Collective Will into existence.

Not that he didn't appreciate the boost of power but having no equal could be an annoyance for times. _It's just no fun._

Moving on, the kid... Oh, _the fucking kid_ , was a blissfully ignorant fool that didn't even know the ABC in living as a dragon. As a whole, dragons possessed ginormous amount of pride, power unmatched by puny beings be it devils, fallen angels or angels plus unmatched wisdom. Heroes that could slay them could be counted with fingers while the greatest Dragon Slayer had to reach the realm beyond human just to kill a collector lizard.

And this... kid... *snort* ...he's a total hatchling in the body of an adult. He didn't know that he had to be cautious when visiting the territory of other dragon, didn't know that Unified Language was the norm in speaking around dragons of his position and BY NO MEAN COULD ONE TOUCH THE LANDOWNER'S POSSESSION!

 _He disobeyed ALL of them! What, did you live under a rock or something? What kind of hermit, reclusive and isolated lifestyle did you live in?!_

It was tolerable for lesser dragons to not be able to abide the second rule. Most were born from swirls of power in the mortal realm, either by collective angers, nationalism, or greed like that stupid gold collector. Duh, he never even expected a dragon who's base was a Homunculus to know what Unified Language was.

No, no. He wasn't angry about the first two laws. Privacy was nothing to him anyway and the Unified Language worked better to make idiots step aside from ruining his moment of reprieve.

But nobody ever dared to touch his Treasure! And it was the latest spoil of war he pried off from that stupid Will of Planet! Since he 'happened' to enter her territory, those Heroic Spirits and Beasts of Gaia of hers tried to subdue him as quick as possible.

 _Fortunately for them, I'm just so awesome I laid waste on them all with a sigh. First move determines the battle._

She was furious but he was of equal standing so she couldn't risk getting her 'precious' planet dyed with further destruction. Unfortunately, as a loser, she had to hand out something she had. And no, I have no interest in fucking a stuck up bitch like her, she's a thousand times worse than the Snake during her strongest period of homesickness.

The prize he obtained was a new System she originally devised to honor people she was awed with, but was manipulated by humans for the sake of a 'Wish Fulfillment Game'. Once when she took out her complaints, ranting till there was no end to her 'sisters', she heard something that piqued her interests and she decided to build a new mechanism to enforce her authority. What was ironic would be how said System was too similar with the one of the world he originated from yet she had the gall to claim it as her masterpiece. _Freaking copycat._

At any rate, he decided to plunder the System simply because there was something incredibly interesting added into it. It was incomplete at best and looked very easy to be abused, but there was a Dream attached to it. A possibility like no other that drew him in to show it off to his fellow brethren. No... he knew the true nature of that possibility.

Unfortunately, the brat went crazy when he laid his eyes on it. After snatching it, he was of course outraged so he attacked the brat without realizing the place or even consequence. Dimensional Gap might be the most dangerous place for living beings but that did not mean it was unbreakable. After this, he'd find the kid to lecture him. And actually, it was kind of rare to find a fellow dragon was capable of outmaneuvering him other than that suspicious vampire with ever-so-annoying smiley face.

Who knows, it might serve as a good distraction for him and the Snake.

* * *

By the fourth day, or Sunday in this World's calendar, I was growing more accustomed to living as a human.

It was like recalling the old time since the people here were as nice as Serge and my comrades. Such a wonderful discovery as I didn't know the left-or-right of this world, though for some apparent reasons, I was fondly called out by the elderly in the shopping district, given food or 'pocket money' and doted on as if I was their grandchild. Well, before, even Sergei compared me with his son that moved out to the city.

I do wonder if this is related to His personal skill. I think it was related to treasure that blessed him with ease of wealth… Of course, even luck over fortune didn't mean much for the minority straying from their original paths.

"Why you...!" A furious youth in rough clothing as if mimicking a juvenile sent out a straight right.

He was exaggerating his action, pulling an attack that further diminished both his aim as well as expected damage. Saber wouldn't even feel amused seeing such a less-than-crude attack that wouldn't even classify as a brutish attack; it spoke of a lot from a Servant who could double as Saber and Berserker without Mad Enchantment.

I dodged by a hair breadth, then jabbed a left hook into his solar plexus. The amount of strength was enough to make his body bent a little and shook him from the inside. Not even a moment passed by and the youth's facial scrunched up before distorting in agony, his jaw hanging loosely as air escaped his lung in one breath. I stepped back as he fell to his knees to hug his pained stomach. Sighing at the pitiful sight, I looked behind me.

"Are you alright?" I asked the person that was about to be roughly pulled into the back alley by the thug several dozen seconds ago.

There was a young girl with golden blonde hair tied in two and in spiraling fashion, her light pink frilly dress accentuated the image of a noble daughter if not wealthy and her pale skin made her look like an immaculately crafted doll. Summing it up: a cute child.

"Wh-what... what are you... you son of a...!" The juvenile tried to curse but I glared down at him.

From here, he looked as small as an ant… Ah, wait. I can't think like that.

I couldn't blame my nature as a dragon about my pride, but with such line of thought, only disasters await. Fortunately, it was reduced very easily when I reminded myself that I'm not a purebred, meaning I'm lower than the true dragons. With cleared thoughts, I opened my mouth only to recall a certain dragon's might. He who used merely his voice to open up the gap between dimensions…

Ah... I should try to emulate it then.

"I do not acknowledge your forceful attempt in your way with her." I started dryly. "Leave. Before you regret it."

The youth was agitated. He probably thought I was acting haughtily but when I set my glare as if peering into his eyes, he shuddered.

" _Leave_." My voice echoed with a degree of power in that word.

A second passed… and the youth departed like a whiny coward he was.

"Hm... so that's how he did it." I commented in half astonishment.

I didn't expect to be successful in the first try. After all, putting a threatening atmosphere with voice alone was something I never tried to do. No, it's not that I never learned but I never spoke out using human language even in the Reverse Side of the World.

After all, who needs to converse like a human in a realm only legendary beasts could live in?

Then again, I also rarely met other of my kin. None of them was as respectable that they'd consider using tongue of human, and they hated me to the core for being a mixed-blood...

"What did you do?!"

 _Hm...?_

"You... you let that scoundrel escape! What have you done, you!" The girl drawled.

I wondered if I did something wrong but from the words and the context... is she saying that he deserves more punishment?

"I don't think he deserves all that..." I softly muttered.

But the girl stomped her foot. "No, he deserves MORE than that! He dared to lay a hand on me! A heavy sin warranting death!"

I gaped for a little bit. To think in this age, children were taught that harassment attempt required death as punishment... Certainly, what the juvenile intended to do was wrong but... that's what most nobles and Magi would do.

Isn't every life precious to someone or something? To not give a criminal a chance to reform their selves meant one were demonizing him as something below human... right? Or have I misunderstood the common rules of this world?

"...regardless, you shouldn't treat other lives so easily," I said in attempt of convincing her, "What will his family feel if that person died?"

"I! Don't! Care!" The girl shouted, her eyes red in fury.

This might be bad... at this rate, people would notice the commotion. I doubted this girl would calm down with advices alone too. Hm… let's try how Ruler would respond to this then.

"Then - what will you do if it were you who is at the receiving end? What will you do if you were in the same position as that youth? Can you accept it?"

All was silence in the next moment onward. My question seemed to reach her as the girl stiffened, and her eyes widened in surprise... no, it was as if she just imagined herself in such situation.

The girl shuddered before she looked up at me, "B-but...! He just...!"

"He did wrong, yes. However, I stopped him. It is his luck that I prevented him from making a choice he would regret. And he has all the time in the world to reflect on his choices, a chance to make his life better than this. Isn't it far better than killing him in cold blood?" I questioned.

"Even so...!" The girl protested.

I shook my head, "You shouldn't steal their happiness for your selfishness. That's not a good thing to do."

I waited, I watched the girl going crestfallen. It seems she is far smarter than I thought, to reflect on her decisions. Although...

Did I go too far? This is fine... right? If I remember correctly... Scold them if they are wrong, but don't...

Ah. Yes, don't let them wallow in their mistakes forever.

"While your anger is justified, please do not claim you have the right over someone's life and death so carelessly. It might cost you so much someday." I patted the girl's head like Sergei did when we departed from his house.

 _Soft_ , was my first impression of it. The golden strands of hair were smooth and seemed to be treated with loving care. The color once again reminded me of her but I swallowed my nostalgia, and prioritized the present.

"Will you promise me not to say such thing again?" I asked, my stare fixated at her eyes for a while.

"...I promise." The girl replied reluctantly. At least she's trying… this is a good thing right?

I nodded, smiling in satisfaction, "Then, shall we go? Do you need help? Are you looking for your guardian?"

"Ugh...! Shut up! I'm not a lost child!"

* * *

After parting with the girl that kept on pushing me away, saying she must 'scout the enemy's home field' or something, I spent the day socializing with the citizens. Gathering information in a way that wouldn't make me suspicious or conspicuous.

Unfortunately, that hope dashed since my hair, skin and eye color was undoubtedly more different than the locals'. I kept on being stunned by those that stuttered in using English language, those that for some reason wanted to take pictures (I found out they can do it with a device) with me and those that somehow whistled when I was caught in their sight.

It's... very exhausting. Maybe I shouldn't have gone out to the city. Also, cellphones sure are amazing.

"If Rider was here, he'd definitely buy one." I murmured as I recalled some having the designs he'd certainly love to have.

Honestly, for being a Heroic Spirit and a Paladin, he didn't look like it at all. I even passed by a store that would make him go crazy about. But even if he were here...

"...I don't have much money." I remarked before exasperating very, very deeply.

Without money, I can't buy food, or find a base to operate. Without money, I can't make contacts, buy materials needed to make a living. And without money, I have no access to modern knowledge like this 'in-ter-net' some teenagers talked about. Also, I can't fake the official documents that could help me greatly...

Ah, truly, when blending in human society, money is a very important matter. Had I not been a dragon that could live as long as prana was in the air, I would have had to undertake shady business like a Magus. The risk would skyrocket though so I'm still debating about it.

"I wonder how that man live with humans? He seems like had gotten used to intermingle with mankind in this world..." I mumbled as I trekked down the bustling street.

Then I stopped midway through, looking on a store's products that were showcased in glass display. I might look like I saw something that piqued my interest to buy the product but I wasn't. I was simply using a cover as my eyes darted inconspicuously.

These presences... and the dissonance of prana in the air... Am I being followed? I felt a gaze settling on my back, this one seemingly differed compared to the curious looks of the citizens that it's... actually unnerving me.

It's not that I'm scared. I have lived for a long time, both in peace as well as in turbulent times. I'm no stranger to pointless bloodshed yet I still wished everything wouldn't come down to it all the time. Not to mention as the pinnacle of Phantasmal Species, I have position and a set of codes I must abide.

For example, confronting mortals first is generally looked down upon.

"...still..." I glanced behind me. I don't want to alert my observers but... they are very persistent. Now what should I do?

They didn't have any hostility, their gaze was purely on observing my actions, and judging from the proximity and faint scent... Are they somehow related with those at school?

"...can't it be that the school is the equivalent of Mage's Association?" I whispered a question that floated to the air helplessly. "...guess I have no choice then."

Suddenly turning around, I walked in a steadfast pace toward the nearest watcher. When I passed by an alley, I noticed _her._

A short girl with pure white hair, dressed in a uniform I was familiar with. I was slightly surprised since today was Sunday, and according to the gathered intel, there is no class today. Still, there was the smell of nonhuman. It was intense even, just like the two girls in that western manor. Could this girl be a true resident of Moonlit World?

"You are—"

" _Run, Toujou-san!_ "

Huh? I looked to the other alley across, seeing a blonde-haired boy shouting as if his life was hanging on it. But for some reason, in the next moment, he turned his back to flee.

"Huh? Why-" I paused as I looked back to the white girl-

Ah. She vanished. But the smells of prana was distinct, and there was a scrapped stripe of paper on the concrete.

"A teleportation charm...?" I presumed as I picked the paper up, glancing on the alley across of here where nothing could be seen.

Hm... to think that the Magi here are capable of instantaneous movement. If I remembered correctly, it's a Magecraft closer to Magic, and the only way was if one had powerful artifact, is a user of Second Magic, or manifested through consent between Master and Servant about the usage of Command Spell. I dismissed the two as Servants since the air around them were unlike one, and I doubt a Master would go out of their way to scout my movement in broad daylight.

"So this paper must be a catalyst then... How interesting." I nodded as I got back up and pocketed the expended charm.

Assuming this object acted as a transfer point, then an anchor must be placed somewhere. With how fragile the medium is, the base must have strong connection, which meant a ritual site is linked to prana generator.

Now, if I were to talk about something that could gush out prana like a broken faucet... Either there's a powerful Magus around, a nonhuman at the class of True Ancestor capable of producing Mysteries of the Age of Gods, a Phantasmal Beast, or...

"Leyline. The same way Holy Grail core would be placed at." I pounded a fist on my palm. "That means..."

I looked behind me, staring at the distant shadow of a structure. It seems I have found my next objective.

* * *

Kuoh Academy.

According to a tourist guide, it's a prestigious place for education most commonly known with its design that mixed both western and eastern style of architectures. With a large school building, a field able to be used for marathon, and lush woods as relaxation place as well as eyes-refresher, it was said as a Garden of Learning for the Fairies.

Well, the fairies referred to the entire student body.

Kuoh Academy was an all-girls school, founded and funded by families with remarkable achievements in fame or in wealth. But recently, there was a change in its education system that dropped the 'female-only' policy. While the numbers were rare, male students could enroll in this prestigious Academy as long as they passed the tight qualification tests. A very beneficial change as it allowed everyone to have the same chance in receiving education, one that I supported wholeheartedly.

"Still... that doesn't change the fact that I'm an outsider." I muttered as I stood a dozen feet away from the gate.

Even more unfortunate was how a powerful ward was erected to surround the entire school ground. As I said before, I'm not too fond of Magecraft so I don't have any knowledge in how to break a ward as complex as this. If I tried to use my self-invented particle manipulation spell, it might be possible but a ward this big was possibly built with layers of backup security as well as warning alarms in mind.

It caused me to recall that Magi often have a saying about their workshop. Their research hideout was the Holiest of Holy lands, so anyone that dared to intrude would be greeted with a swift, decisive death. I would have to be prepared for a harsh fight if I breached the ward as is and I disliked conflict with passions.

"Hmh... what to do now..." As I pondered about my next movement, I heard a faint voice.

Rather, it was a calling with loud intonation, one I that I abbreviated to a particular odd-scented being.

"Hyoudou, Argento?" I looked behind me, seeing the brown-haired boy with the blonde nun who treated me with food several days earlier.

Crossing the street, they entered the same pedestrian pathway and we greeted each other before entering conversation.

"Why are you here, Sieg?" Hyoudou asked, his voice full of hones curiosity.

I nodded, "I have something to do here but I'm not sure if I should enter as I please."

"Whaat? If it's that, we too have something to do! Why not coming with us?"

I quirked my eyebrows. The two were called here? So my assumption they're in the same clan is-

"Welp, Buchou just called for a sudden meeting out-of-the-blue so we decided to hurry." Issei explained.

Buchou...? As in, club leader? I turned to look at Argento who's nodding in contribution. Hmm... Their answers, voices and expression didn't seem deceitful at all. Of course I couldn't rule out the possibility that they were very skilled to mask their emotions.

Magi often resorted to underhanded or downright disgusting methods after all.

Still, maybe I should at least ask, "Do you happen to have a club member who has white hair and golden eyes?"

"Eh? Koneko-chan?" Argento chimed in, "Have you two met before?"

I waved my hand, "we simply passed by each other. Her hair and eye colors are pretty unusual."

While the two were confused, Issei was the first to agree. He even wondered aloud why as her full name was all Japanese. And yet for some reasons, in the middle of his musing, his expression shifted so much that I had to give extra attentions on him. Argento hastily tugged his sleeve.

"Issei-san! You mustn't think p-perv-perverted thing!" She scolded him.

Perverted...? So he was thinking perverted thing? I stared hard at Issei and he backed away.

"W-wait! That's wrong! I didn't think anything like that!" He retaliated.

"Really?" I asked flatly.

"Really?" Argento asked accusingly.

The boy with odd-scent-not-like-a-human's-at-all could only whine.

* * *

"Oh my, so it really is you, Sieg-kun." Rias Gremory greeted me, her smile seemed a little nervous today.

I tilted my head slightly, wondering why she would look so nervous. I shifted my gaze, finding a young woman with long black hair tied into a ponytail, standing near a blond-haired boy and... The white girl that escaped like a fleeing cat.

Unfortunately, she's not able to look at me in the eyes and was quivering like a lonely cat on the roadside soaked by the rain. Just looking at her already made me feel bad inside.

Setting that aside, they, including Argento and Hyoudou were wearing school uniforms. I also identified two additional persons. One was the bobbed-haired girl with an icy aura boring glare at me, and the other was... A silver-haired maid.

"...umm... Are you a maid?" I remarked, finding her as the oddity after me in this Club Room.

The woman nodded. "Indeed I am. I have been informed of Sieg-sama's presence from Ojou-sama. It is a pleasure to meet you."

She promptly bowed and introduced herself. From her, I obtained her identity and her job - a servant of the house of Gremory, and her name was Grayfia. But why does she not have a surname?

"I... see. It is nice to meet you, Ms. Grayfia." Feeling it would be impolite to ignore her, I greeted back.

"Please call me Grayfia. I am merely a servant of the Gremory so there is no need to be so polite."

...She reminded me of my comrades... With that professional attitude and curt speech, I almost mistook her as a fellow Homunculus. Shaking my head to break off the ever-recurring nostalgia, I decided to focus my attention on the person I could now recognize as an important person similar to a Heiress.

"Ah, and these are the club members. Akeno Himejima, Kiba Yuuto, and Koneko Toujou." Gremory gestured with a hand.

"Hello, Sieg-kun." Himejima smiled, yet I increasingly felt unsettled. A certain Master of a rogue Assassin coming to mind for unknown reason.

"Hey. Nice to meet you." Kiba said, his posture was elegant and that manner... is he a knight? But why does he feel unlike Saber of Red if he's one?

"...ello." Lastly, Toujou nodded before deftly dodging my stare. Ah... she's traumatized...

Uhm... wait. Then who's this bobbed-haired girl?

"Oh, yes. Here is my childhood friend. She is also the Student Council president of Kuoh Academy, Souna Shitori." Gremory added.

"You decidedly put me as an afterthought, do you, Rias...?" Shitori pinched the bridge of her nose.

"My, whatever are you saying, _Shitori-san_?" Gremory smirked.

Ah, so she's called Shitori... and she's a childhood friend as well as the Student Council president? I wonder why but her name didn't fit the atmosphere she had. Still...

This room... it's drenched with the same scent now. Have I picked the wrong decision? Did I just walk into a trap?

...no. I didn't sense anything unusual when I entered this place. Sure, a bounded field was put up around this building but it worked more as a deterrent against malicious threat rather than booby trap. And the ones that posed threat would probably be Shitori, Himejima, Gremory also Grayfia. The last one in particular.

I felt like beneath her cool, subservient attitude, a honed blade lied in wait. It might be best to stay extra cautious.

"Well, before all that, may I ask what your business might be, Sieg-kun? We are going to... Welcome a few guests so I don't think we can be of any assistance." Gremory said.

Hm…? Did she just hesitate in welcoming her guests? She didn't sound like she was referring to me as she mentioned the guest in plural form, so someone else perhaps.

"Ah, yes. I simply wish to return this." I pulled out the expended teleportation charm paper.

Toujou rattled in her seat. I too sensed a slight change in the atmosphere. Mainly because Gremory focused her gaze on the charm paper, Grayfia not budging, both Shitori and Yuuto eyeing me in silence while Akeno murmured 'Oh my, my' with an odd intonation in giggling. _Why does it sound pretty familiar...?_

The only oblivious persons would be the two 'new members' behind me. It seemed they are innocent... and I believe they actually are.

"I see... Is that Koneko-chan's charm paper?" Gremory asked.

"Charm paper?" I tilted my head intentionally but tried to look as natural and subtle.

"It's nothing but a material we, Occult Research Club tried to investigate. We thought it went missing a while ago. If you're going to return it then thank you, Sieg-kun." Gremory answered.

I can see her lying through the teeth. She was even wording it in the same way I did. A seemingly honest response but deceitful at the same time. A practice done by most Magi when blending in society.

Hm... I wonder how deep can I uncover it if I played along? I couldn't feel animosity at all but there was certainly a tinge of nervousness. Maybe they are worried their cover would be blown. Fortunately or unfortunately, I know way too well how far Magi would cross the line just to protect their so-called Mysteries.

I don't need pointless bloodshed in this new life. As long as they do not run counter with my belief, then I guess interacting on even ground is acceptable.

"I understand. Then here it is—"

My voice trailed away.I whipped my head to the side, at an empty section of the room even though nothing was there. The occupants froze up but Grayfia in particular shifted visibly, and Gremory exasperated.

Several magic circles suddenly appeared on the floor. Ones where they just appeared out of thin air unlike typical Magi's. Prana swirled in the air as I slowly recognized signatures of living beings being transferred here. The origin was unknown but I knew this presence well.

Fire. Ash. Feather of a majestic Phantasmal Beast known to have unique ability to be reborn anew from their ashes. While it was faint and seemed so weak I barely recognized it, the distinct signs led me to a definite conclusion:

A Phoenix is here.

* * *

Or so I thought.

Everyone seemed to have forgotten my presence by that point as a man with young women wearing... particularly questionable fashion senses, emerged from the relay point of teleportation spell.

I thought it was a fellow Phantasmal Beast but my expectation was crushed when I saw the man's eyes. It was not a gaze full of wisdom. It wasn't even a gaze that could push awe into the hearts of the observers. It wasn't even remotely as majestic as the gaze of a being that knew full well how it felt to tread between life-and-death for many occasions.

No... it was a disappointing gaze full of lecherous obsession. One that was directed to Rias Gremory and the female members of the ORC.

"Th-this... bastard...!" Hyoudou was reaching a boiling point at this point.

I had no need to second guess it. Hyoudou has infatuation to the Gremory while having the affection of an older sibling to Argento. But the man before us, the one named Raiser Phoenix leered on the two, often harassing them with words that would make even Rider of Red to snort in disdain. Then sometime later in the conversation, he would also molest Gremory under the pretext of her being his 'fiancée'.

If the Chaste Huntress was here, she would've knocked his ego, stomped his pride before jeering on him about how disgusting he was. Of course, I have no doubt Ruler would do the same as well. And Rider would beat him senseless with a wide grin while riding Hippogriff.

The flow of the meeting escalated rapidly that during my delusion of how each Servant I knew would triumph over the poor imitation of Phantasmal Beast, Hyoudou was blasted to the wall for trying to protect Gremory's dignity.

 _That was a mistake_. I've been daydreaming for too many times.

The situation became hostile, both sides baring their teeth and weapons as Gremory and Argento rushed to treat Hyoudou. Meanwhile, the smug confidence Raiser Phoenix had multiplied as he cast a gaze of mockery to his fiancée's 'Peerages'.

"Enough." I muttered, putting pressure in my voice.

Unlike before where I adjusted the prana around my vocal cord, I now used my dragon trait, my lungs that now had an extra dimensional pocket to contain a fiery dragon breath able to melt lower Noble Phantasms.

Everyone flinched, Raiser Phoenix in particular as he sweat dropped before lashing out.

"Who the hell are you? Another useless brat? It seems Rias is cursed with roaches that knew nothing of their place!"

I smiled at the provocative speech. He didn't look menacing at all. No, his words are colorful but they simply had no meaning to me. Comparing it to the Fake Priest's sermons or Archer of Red's curses, it was a breeze for me. Therefore...

"And who are you for trying to desecrate the name of the Phoenix, you pitiful impostor?" I retorted.

It wasn't my duty to point it out. I didn't even care about their nonhuman traits judging from the bits I salvaged during the meeting. There were many legendary creatures roaming in the Reverse Side of the World, some were even called as demons.

So why should I even care about this farce? The answer was far simpler than I thought as I let my heart to speak out.

"After brazenly inviting yourself here, you ignored your fiancée's personal feeling about your engagement with her. You treated women as something you take for granted, and you even hurt a person who helped me just because he tried to protect your fiancée's honor." I pointed out. "You're not a Phoenix. No, you have not even a shred of right to call yourself as a member with relation to them."

"What did you say...!?"

He stood up, his flame flaring up from under his feet to his arms. A pair of blazing wings spread behind his back as he swung his arm, throwing a fireball at me.

Fast? Yes it is. With immediate casting and targeting like that, it's definitely a spell directly related to his nature.

Powerful? Yes it is. A flame that could melt metal in seconds can never be trifled with.

Threatening? Actually, it's not. At least not for me.

Thus, even when I was struck by the fireball and heard horrified shrieks, I stood motionlessly. Once the smokes dissipated, everyone soon found out, much to their surprises… that I was unharmed. Only a circle of black stains were around my feet, as if the resulting fire damages were redirected and dispersed.

"Your flame is weak." I bluntly commented. "Only lukewarm at best."

As I thought, he's an impostor. I didn't even have to resort to expose my Dragon Scales as my Magic Resistance nullified the simple lump of fire no different than a match in terms of damage. Considering my Spiritual Core had changed into the Core of a dragon, a special kind of Magic Core, of course such unrefined attack will never reach me.

Still… the effects oddly resembled how Ruler stopped Caster of Black's Keter Malkuth's attack. Now I have a twinge of curiosity about my current ability in this form…

"You...! You bastard...!" He roared, obviously in anger and confusion now.

"Sieg-sama, may you please step down? This is an affair between Gremory and Phoenix." Grayfia interjected as if she had waited for the cue.

"Although the one who attacked first is this impostor." I remarked after nodding.

"Yes, and it is certainly a definite proof with two third-party observing the situation. I assure you, with the authority granted to me by my King Sirzechs Lucifer, I will see to it in giving suitable punishment." She quipped.

"What...!?" Impostor exasperated.

Ah, yes. It seems I have unconsciously decided to call him that. He never deserved the name of Phoenix in my eyes so he's nothing more than an imitator.

"Ha! Now you get it, you Yakitori bastard!" Hyoudou suddenly shouted.

I didn't know he already recovered. But that name... I see, Yakitori, meaning 'fried chicken' in Japanese language. Or is it a fried bird? Regardless, it's a fine name with derogatory meaning.

"Hum. As punishment, his name is Yakitori from now onward." I stated.

The Gremory's entourage, servant as well as Sitri agreed anonymously.

* * *

In the end, it didn't go as smoothly as I expected.

"I'm sorry for suddenly interfering..." I apologized with a deep bow of head in front of the crimson-haired girl.

"No, no. After what he did to my Peerage, there's no way I can restrain myself any longer." The Heiress of Gremory replied. "Besides, I have no feeling in marrying someone like Raiser anyway."

Truly...? I still wondered if what I had done was a mistake or not. I didn't think that he'd throw a fit that he challenged her. If not for Grayfia's assistance, there was nothing that could stop that dumb cheap imitator, or my worsening mood from exploding.

He even thought I was allied with the Gremory... is he a fool?

"Still, there are ten days for my Peerage to prepare ourselves. It might be a little tight but if we squeezed in extensive training camp, I think we can manage. There's no need to worry, Sieg-kun." Rias Gremory smiled lightly but I knew she was trying to reassure both I and her Peerages.

And that still made me feel very guilty. Not only once have I troubled her, twice even. I have yet to repay the favor too...

If other dragons were to see my situation, they'd sneer in disdain and mock me as a disgrace. Not that I could care if there's something wrong in my path. It simply doesn't feel right to stay idly all the time.

I exhaled, "Really, it felt as if the world's going out to hunt me again."

Back when Great Grail War occurred, once the Fake Priest interrupted the ritual, he basically gained unfair advantage and even convinced Caster of Black to betray his Master. The madman used him as a core for his Noble Phantasm which was a Golem designed from the First Human Adam; A walking, self-evolving abomination capable of expanding its own Reality Marble just to reset civilization.

Perhaps, this predicament is yet again an effect caused by the Curse of Fafnir, supported together by the poor luck of the Dragonblooded Knight.

"It's not your fault, Sieg-kun. Also, I was more worried to drag a bystander in this mess but..."

Ah...?

"I admit, I didn't expect you to stay unscathed after receiving Raiser's flame. Is that the power of your Sacred Gear?"

Rias Gremory smiled with extreme finesse that I could only gape like a fish out of the water. From her gesture alone, I could tell she had seen everything, acknowledged my existence as an anomaly rather than as a bystander. Thus…

I screwed up. Very much, if Saber of Red were here to give out an afterthought.

"So Sieg-kun, can you tell us who you really are? While I am lenient, this city is actually occupied by Devils, making the role of its supervisors fell under my hand and Sona's. Clearly, you are not from around here and if you are affiliated to a faction, it is obvious to pay a visit to give us an official notification." The Gremory Heiress stated. "Although, you might be a Sacred Gear user so I'll be lenient if you simply explained yourself."

Her eyes lit up with sly interests, her smile tempting me to answer truthfully. As her crimson locks fluttered while she tilted her head, she bestowed an impression that would make even Assassin of Red nod in acknowledgement. I wasn't frightened, no, but I was shaken by her persuasiveness and if I looked behind me...

Hyoudou and Argento were staring wide in surprise, Yuuto smirking full of sympathy yet his stance told me he was ready to act, Himejima still giggling but I knew her eyes were not. Additionally, the bobbed girl whose real name was 'Sona Sitri' glared at me with hostility. The only saving grace would be how Toujou was still paying me no mind due to her trauma.

Still, it seems any escape route has been closed off. But making a mess is the last thing I want to do… They might misunderstood and hunted me down otherwise! Now stay calm, and…

"...can I in turn ask something?" I asked without hiding my anxiety.

"Depending on your question." The crimson-haired princess said.

"You all are... nonhumans right? You said you're High-class Devils or something." I recalled.

"I, Sona and Grayfia are. The others here are mostly Reincarnated Devils." She nodded. "Is something wrong with it?"

"...I'm sorry, but I know nothing of your kind. Care to elaborate?"

At once, the tension vanished, replaced by a stinging blank face from many people.

...I guess I picked the wrong choice this time...

* * *

I took a deep breath. "You are all... Devils. A supernatural race that are inherently hostile with the force of heaven, Angels that are under commands of Biblical God, and the Gregory which is made up of Fallen Angels. Am I correct?"

"Yes you are." She answered.

Huff... to think it was so hard to convince her in believing I am an atheist living in isolation. It's not that far from the truth but as if she'd believe I came from another dimension. Now I realize how important Charisma is. Perhaps that is the reason why Ruler's words sounded convincing for many times despite the difference between our faiths.

Still, I know that nothing good will ever come from devoting oneself to the likes of Gods.

"After the Great War a thousand years ago, each faction received great losses that dwindled their numbers to a brink of extinction, thus a ceasefire was proposed." I reiterated.

The Devil nodded.

"And so far, to avoid extinction, your race developed a system that allowed you to reincarnate other species into your kind. So to say, a deal that turns one into a Devil." I knitted my brows together as I put a hand under my chin, immersing myself in thought.

"We do offer a choice and if refused we will not be offended. We have a law that dictated not to harm humans, as it will provoke other factions greatly." Gremory supplemented.

Ah, so it's not discriminating at all. But if that is so, those at the brink of death would have no choice. The lulling when one's on deathbed is always the strongest incentive. I know that temptation well enough back when I was still contained in the glass tank.

"What is the qualification to reincarnate as Devil? Lying between life and death?" I asked.

"That's one way of putting it. But normal living being could also reincarnate without going through such process." Gremory answered.

"There is no limitation at all?" I tilted my head.

"Well, we do have a cost." Gremory raised a hand. "Sieg-kun, you mentioned you don't know what Rating Game is right?"

Hmhm, so the two are related after all huh? My curiosity is beginning to take over my actions, and I can't even help it as it's one of my strongest natural instinct.

"Peerage system... most commonly known as Evil Piece System uses chess game as a reference," Rias Gremory explained then on the table in front of her, blood red chess pieces that looked like they were made from crystals appeared.

A Rook plus a Knight piece was there... wait, these chess pieces... Why do they feel familiar...?

"Each Peerage consists of fifteen Evil Pieces. Eight Pawns, two Rooks, two Knights, two Bishops, and one Queen. Also, each has their own value."

"Value?" I parroted.

"For example, a Pawn is worth of one value. So to say, a normal human with average talent or possessing common Sacred Gear requires one Pawn to reincarnate." She raised a finger as if pointing out on an invisible white board behind her.

Ah... The cost and capacity huh?

"What about the other?"

"A Rook has the worth of five Pawns, Knight has three, Bishop has three, and Queen has nine."

"So these values meant how much of a future potential one has?"

"Exactly. Without the correct piece to match their potential, reincarnation cannot be carried out. For example... Issei over there."

The two of us looked at Hyoudou. He was sitting on the sofa and was chatting with the other club members. When he noticed our gaze, he showed a face that spoke 'is something wrong, Buchou?' with so much ease it perplexed me.

Truly, he's the prime example of simpleton. Rider would have a good long chat with him.

The High-class Devil before me chuckled, "Issei over there consumed all of my Pawns to reincarnate. He's special and has so much potentials to uncover."

"Could it be related to that Sacred Gear?" I assumed.

"Yes. He has a unique Sacred Gear called Boosted Gear, the fifth of twelve Longinus renowned to contain the soul of the Welsh Dragon." Gremory smirked proudly.

...Welsh... Dragon...? I frowned, recalling earlier conversation with the Gremory's King.

The Two Heavenly Dragons. Welsh and Albion. Red and white. Two dragons that interrupted the Great War and forced the Three Factions to band together just to stop them from causing irreparable cataclysm. It was also said they were the most notorious for their endless rivalry, and the culprits behind massive casualties in the Great War.

A dragon huh... I see. No wonder his scent seemed familiar. Maybe the dragon's soul was the reason why Hyoudou required all of the Pawns to reincarnate.

"Next, the Rating Game is..."

"A fight between Peerages. It's like a chess game played by people acting as the chess pieces right?"

Gremory clapped with a cheerful 'correct!' response.

"However, since it's basically a simulation of real combat, there are rules and killing is prohibited. The prize is of course a raise of status or various things you want." She finished. "Therefore, Sieg-kun. What do you think? I believe you have the right as I have two vacant spots in my Peerage."

Well... whether or not I should curse this coincidence... I looked at the crystal red chess pieces, then at myself.

"I think applying as a Rook is the best way to maximize your potential. Your Sacred Gear must be a passive one and affects your physical strength accordingly." The Devil leaned forward.

Uhm… Certainly, this is a very interesting thing… I'm actually very curious about these Evil Pieces as they have the ability to transcend the rule set by Gaia which disallowed no chance for human and supernatural species to mate and bred a hybrid. If it's a product of Magecraft, couldn't this Evil Piece already be considered as a form of Sorcery?

Still… feeling the objects in the pocket of my waistcoat, I scrunched my eyebrows in deep thought. _Once again, I felt there's something surging in my head yet it vanished like morning dew._

"...Abandoning one's life to start another... is it?" I muttered softly, absorbing each word I uttered into my mind.

Ah. Who am I kidding to? The answer is obvious right?

* * *

"My, he left already?" Akeno Himejima asked as she brought in another refill of tea for her King.

"Man, it's too bad. He's a cool guy, though I never thought he's a fellow Sacred Gear user." Issei commented.

"Oh? Issei-kun, I thought you'd feel jealous if he joined." The black-haired senior grinned.

The Pawn's cheeks slightly went red. He stuttered, scratching the back of his head as he lowered his head in

"W-well, he's got a handsome face like Kiba after all! I'd be in a tight spot if he joined! But..." Issei trailed off.

"He's a nice person isn't he, Issei-san?" Asia said, prompting the two to nod thoughtfully.

The rest of the club members could only smile warmly, but Rias of everyone felt like she had lost somehow.

"Aaah... but I want to have him. Imagine having another like Issei... we can fight Raiser on even ground if we did." She sighed.

Of course, no one in the room dismissed her complaint as is. It had an interesting implication that the vice-president of ORC asked.

"Oh my. Rias, is that boy truly that valuable?" Akeno wondered.

Before she could answer, it was given out by one particular first-year, "Dragon..."

Rias nodded thoughtfully. When she noticed her Pawn's twitching face, she smiled warmly, "Now, Issei. Do you know what a dragon is?"

"Uh...? Didn't two of them interrupted the Great War out of rivalry?" Issei answered though it was as if he was asking back.

 _Such basic answer._ The King looked at her Knight and he spoke out as her proxy.

"Not only that, Issei-kun. Dragons are a lump of power given form. They are the strongest species known to have never taken a side and live as they please. Some were even said to rival God himself, like the two Heavenly Dragons."

"Seriously?!" Issei gasped as he raised his left arm, staring at the back of hand that was usually the place for the green jewel of his scale gauntlet-shaped Sacred Gear.

"Hm? But wait a sec," Issei paused, "What's Sieg's relation with dragon? He's a human with a Sacred Gear right?"

 _That_ , Rias wished to know. No one was uninterested in the matter and she had to be quick as Sona seemed to have some thoughts when she abruptly left in the middle. She probably expected Sieg's refusal judging from his poor way in avoiding certain subjects. _That girl always knew how to outsmart others…_

"Koneko has been saying that he has a thick scent of dragon with him," Rias remarked, "But she didn't react like this when she noticed your scent, Issei. It's not normal."

"What do you suggest, Buchou?" Kiba asked.

"I think he has a Sacred Gear that contains a dragon... maybe his Sacred Gear's ability is to coat himself with immense aura or invisible scales of dragon." Rias presumed.

From the looks of it, it was probably a very powerful dragon or one with high immunity against fire like a Drake. If her guess was right, Rias now have another dragon-type Sacred Gear user as a candidate. Sadly, time was of essence and there was no time to focus in two fronts.

Either actively recruiting the boy, or taking a trip for a training that could develop her Peerage potentials quickly. She needed as much help as she needed, but after the blunt rejection, she wasn't sure she could pull off another effort to take him under her wings. Not to mention the strategic planning as well as synergy between members were in dire need of polishing should Sieg actually agreed…

 _Still, a powerful defender that could nullify Phoenix's flame is definitely what I need right now! Why does he have to reject my offer!?_

Rias sighed, "Maybe I was too generous when I negotiated with him..."

While lamenting her poor luck, which rarely ever came around, she should have thought why her nerdy childhood friend left the negotiation table in the middle and focused more to the subject of her interest. She'd regret not sparing the details at least a glance in the near future...

* * *

 **-Author's Rambling (EDITED)-**

 _"25 Review... 87 Followers... 56 Favorites... 2,153 views... What sorcery is this!?"_

Ah, hello. I just feel like saying it since it fits the supernatural theme of this story. Setting aside the lousy greetings, hello again to the regulars and nice to meet'cha for the new entree. I have brought a new chapter and we're seeing a new ability Sieg gained after his transformation into dragon! No, I didn't make it up. From my observation, dragon's Magic Resistance is off the chart. Arturia's Magic Resistance is due to her artificial dragon blood and it's ranked on solid A.

So yeah, since Sieg is the real deal... it's a bonafide _EX_ -rank Magic Resistance. I think Jeanne is the same but hers can't nullify divine sacraments, while Sieg's can't resist Dragon Slayer attributed skill or weapon at all. Things like Ascalon will rip out the Magic Resistance like hot knife slicing butter, and Samael's blood will certainly poison him. They're (very) lethal considering Sieg isn't exactly a purebred so there are some more loopholes in his defense.

Other than that, the plot is rolling... Some things were foreshadowed... Great Red ranting... Oh, wait. That's one walking disaster rounding up on the corner. What's going to happen next?

* * *

 **RAC!**

RandomBoredGuy: That Roland tried to break it once but unable to? Or that the two are commonly known as perverts by their peers, and Roland is worse than Astolfo in that he prefers more kinky stuff like cuffs?

Kirin: Whoever said Sieg's the only one with Servant Pieces? And do you think he has half the heart to summon a Caster considering his personal distaste with Magecraft? That's why the Caster spot is open, plus, there will be some surprise about this system.

King0fP0wers: Umu. I'm considering to throw away the parameters for Sieg due to his complex nature.

Polar Wolfstar: Hmm... I wonder if I should agree or not. Then again, is there a misconception here?

Kroz Phantomville: Thank you very much. Your words meant a lot for me.

Buildan: *chalk a +1 line for Jack-ko*

RedRat8: More than enough. I'm feeling like I can get a grasp over his power level now.

Amatsumi: Stats serve as a scale for me to adjust the power balance. They act like criteria and not actually important in DxD universe, but still important so that I don't blow the story out of proportions.

guisniperman: *chalks +1 for Tamamo*

blarg7865: *chalks +1 for Astolfo* Having different background, huh? Might work but there'll be more research and it may or may not interrupt my update schedule. I will have to dive into their mentality as well to make a proper not-cardboard-cut characters.

Legendary Dolphinman: Sieg with Siegfried's Spiritual Core enhanced his physique you know? Even Astolfo said he can now live up to 100 years with ease. That speaks a lot for even a Homunculus.

The Guests: Thank you for your words. One of you asked my update schedule and so here's your answer: **1 CHAPTER/1 WEEK.**


	4. Chapter 3 - Befriending

**UPDATE 04/7/2016:** _Grammar and typo fixes, some small editing._

* * *

I saw familiar faces, in a town where age seemed like it had long stilled from advancement, secluded from the entire world like a caged beast in a forest, deep within a castle a Lord of Romania once ruled in.

Before, what I saw was nothing but pure white. Awareness came and I began my relentless pursuit of wisdom to understand the world. It was then that I saw two persons, one was a small prodigy that later became a sacrifice, and another was a man who despised humanity while seeking a way to save them.

They spoke of interests, Magecraft, as they discussed the flow of a battle. One that long ended in the distant past, and they spoke of my fate, our fates as a foundation that supported the system of a holy artifact.

My fear of death appeared upon I recognized my imminent fate. My blood ran cold, chills clawed my heart as the acknowledgement of having my Magic Circuits be taken out meant destruction would claim me. Death would claim me, spurting my aversion and fear of the horrifying prospect. The dread I felt made me to crave, like a swirling madness deep in the abyss.

 _I want to live_ , I thought.

 _I want to live_ , I wished.

 _I want to live_ , I desired.

With rapid growth of my mind, my awareness as an entity as well as my will that I believed I have gained, I searched for a way to live, seeking for a method to survive in mad desperation. I wanted to be free from the tank, the cage that imprisoned me, thus I thought of methods to break it free. I gathered knowledge, I devised plans, then a result was born.

Logic path \ open  
 _ **"Straße\gehen"**_

Wishing for 'destruction' of the cage, the spell obeyed my calculation, my magical energy to transform it into a material as brittle as weak piece of wood. I didn't waste my chance to free myself. Even so...

I was weak. So very weak that I could not even walk like a human, or even crawl like a baby would.

As a Homunculus built solely to supply magical energy of the Servants, it was obvious that even if I were able to escape from my cage, my fate was still sealed. After all, with a body as weak as a fetus, wisdom no different than a child's, and lifespan that was set extremely short...

I had no chance to live.

" _What's the matter with you? You're going to catch cold like that, you know?_ "

Then, a person arrived. A powerful _living_ human a long time ago, revered and sang as Hero throughout history inquired while looking down on me with eyes containing warm concern.

At first, I was scared. Scared of the powerful individual capable of killing me without blinking. It was so easy for a Heroic Spirit to rip apart an ordinary human, and it was even easier for a lowly, nameless and purposeless Homunculus designed as an energy supply to be a squashed ant in their hands.

That was why I was scared, scared of the monster that could kill me. I was scared if my meaningless life would end before I could find something to deny that statement.

" _Tell me, what you wish for_."

But the Servant offered to me his help. He hid my existence from those that desired my Magic Circuits, he did his very best to ensure that I could live independently. Of course, at the time, I was perplexed, not knowing what to do nor what to answer. Even so... even knowing my existence was nothing but a meaningless one...

" _Save... me..._ " I made a wish from the bottom of my heart.

It was then that the Paladin smiled. As lightly as feather, lightheartedly as if thinking it was of no concern... like a maiden who had just received the letter foretelling safety of her beloved hero.

And the Heroic Spirit, Rider of Black answered.

" _Alright, I will_."

* * *

When I woke up, once again I was greeted by the lonesome sight of a barren, wrecked ruin which had lost all trace of divinity or even propriety. Shaded by the dawn light, any semblance left of the interior gave off a sense of abandonment which easily fostered sadness in the corner of one's mind.

In fact, the degree of neglect this church received would give Ruler a heart attack for sure.

"Maybe I should repair this place...?" I mused as the thought sounded... plausible.

Nobody would protest and I doubt it will trouble anyone. Ah, but... This church is under the territory of a Devil. A high-class one which was once contracted by Solomon's, the 72 Pillars of Ars Goetia. Perhaps I will need to ask for permission and...

"If I can't, should I rebuild it from scratches?" I tilted my head.

 _"Hah ha...! That is not necessary, young man! Your good will is more than enough!"_

Oh? I peered at the doorway, finding one handsome man with gentle smile overlooking me. He's here again... The powerful being in human shape.

The man nodded, "It's a pleasure to meet you again, lost lamb. How are you?"

"I guess... fine. Did you come to talk again?" I asked.

"Indeed I am. Still, would you like some tea?" The man nudged.

Tea...? But what he pulled out from his coat was only a cylindrical aluminium... oh, so that's how it is. One of the products of technology, the so-called 'canned drinks'. Setting aside my awe over a product of civilization, I believed that since he's treating me, then I shall accept it.

"Certainly." I answered.

"Good! You are showing more and more interesting light, young man!" The man chuckled.

After handing me the canned tea, he took a seat on a bench across mine. He crossed his legs as he opened the lid and took a sip. Since he's drinking it readily like that, I chose to follow along though I had slight problems before understanding how to open the can's lid.

Taking a small sip, my throat was refreshed by the cold liquid stroking down and the bittersweet flavor reminded me of something. What is this... could it be... chamomile?

"Fascinating, isn't it? To think humanity is capable of preserving food... Even the flavor remained strong for a long period of time. Hundreds years ago, this is no different than a new trend. A novelty like no other people would kill over." He raised the can to shake it lightly, the content rocking against the thin container made from aluminium.

I once again nodded, "Human has intelligent mind, and a heart. They're far more complex than anything, yet simpler than anything."

"Precisely. You cannot judge humankind by selecting individuals as representatives. If you do, it simply shows a barbaric view that closed off so many lights of undiscovered stars." The man calling himself as 'Watcher of Stars' laughed.

I heard his voice. Boisterous, energetic, wise, but also warm. It was a free-spirited laughter, one I could associate to many people who chose to live their life without regretting their past choices. A nature closely resembling legendary heroes of old.

It was more than enough for me to understand him.

A soul... A heart. He learned of it, developed it in his own way and making use of it as a compass. We were born not as humans, but as monsters so we didn't exactly understand what it meant to have a heart. Even so, we too bred the seed of possibility as times passed, just by encountering the mortals called as humankind.

Still I wondered whether or not I...

"Young man, you are confused, I believe." Noticing my state, the man pointed with an index finger of a hand still holding the can. "Are you wondering if the path you chose is the correct one?"

...I wonder. Even if I were asked that, I found myself stumped very quickly. My decision... is it truly correct, to live by my own will?

I was reminded of the last few days. I tried to initiate it, forming my choice into reality. I wanted to talk and so I spoke with the people. I intervened and so I helped someone.

But... by putting myself in the front, what will happen to the others? What about the people that were pulled into troubles? What about them? The people who decided to fight back even knowing how hopeless the outcome is?

"...I... I don't know." I answered honestly.

But on the contrary, I received a slow applause. The man had already placed the canned drink on the bench, its content empty when I identified it with Structural Analysis.

Then I met his gaze, "Young man, not knowing is not a sin. Sometimes, being ignorant can save someone from falling into pit of hell. Your answer is not wrong."

"What can I do if I don't know...?" I asked, genuinely worried.

"Then find it. Learn as much as you can, experience it and seek your own answer."

...isn't that... What I always did? What's the difference then?

The man smiled, "After knowing comes understanding. Why people become evil? Why people do good deeds? It is your... everyone's job to understand the weight of an action, the weight of purposes, and the weight of life. By doing so, you will realize one day..."

"Realize...?"

The man chuckled. As he stood up from the bench, he readjusted his coat and for some reasons had a hat in his hat. The question how and why didn't escape my mouth as he turned toward the door while saying "That will be for another day, young man." like a teacher that ended an interesting lesson just because of the bell ringing.

But as he waltzed away, he halted at the doorstep, "Ah, one piece of advice."

I perked up to see his face from the side. Glistening under the moonlight, it was the first time I saw a different light in his eye. It was... it was melancholy, as if remembering a fond memory that was washed away by many, many ill conclusions in life.

"Young man... It is fine and all for you to choose your path. However, _Solitude does not suit you_. For nobody, even the Holy Father could bear existing in their lonesome." The man said, and then vanished into the light outside.

I stayed still, understanding not a thing about his words. However, they quickly latched in my heart and forced my brain to comprehend them. One after another. Phrase after phrase. Unaware that during the process, my hand had moved into the pocket of my waistcoat and held something that seemed familiar.

The last thing in my head was the flapping of wings that didn't sound like any bird's at all.

* * *

Later, past afternoon, I invited myself to the ORC building only to find it empty and locked.

"Ah, that's right. They went off for training camp huh?" I murmured to myself, walking back to the gate.

I felt bad for suddenly interfering their affairs. It's not that I wanted to apologize again but I have created a problem, an inconvenience to someone else. I know that if I can't fix it, I can at least lend a hand.

Still... even after I remembered the Watcher's advice, I couldn't find a word to put up as an answer. I couldn't find anything I could help them with. To begin with...

"Who am I to them?" I asked myself.

" _What are you talking about, Sieg-kun?_ "

Huh? Oh, it's her. The girl with glasses, another High-Class Devil like Gremory. I think her name is...

"Sona Sitri?" I mouthed out her name in a questioning manner.

The girl exasperated, " 'Sitri' or 'Kaichou' is fine. Sieg-kun, come this way."

She nudged me. I raised an eyebrow.

"Why?" I asked.

"It's supposed to be _I_ who asked _you_. Why did you waltz in without any permission again?" She scowled.

Ah. Now that I think about it...

"I... forgot?" I tilted my head. The girl pinched the bridge of her nose.

Grumbling silently, she seemed to whisper some words but I couldn't find anything when a wind blew between us. Sitri readjusted her glasses, the lens flashing with a distinctive sound. She seemed angry but not knowing where to vent it out...

"...erm... "

"In any case, please follow me. It's better than staying idly like this. Understood?"

I nodded hastily.

* * *

The school building was large, refined in design and having practical functions more than I expected. Of course, the amount of windows may deem a degree of caution should a battle broke out but school is simply that, an area for education. It was not built as combat infrastructure.

Even so, if one were to enter some rooms such as the Student Council office, the interior changed dramatically.

Gaudy furniture such as U-shaped table, authentic carpet and president chair. A large bookshelf installed in the wall. A wide window like in a chapel. Then a set of tea party utility of the highest-grade.

"I must say... Devils are indeed related to greed. You didn't hold back in setting up your base, Sitri-san." I commented without a shred of lie.

"Oh?" The subject quirked her eyebrow, "Flattery will bring you nowhere, Sieg-kun."

Then the girl walked and sat behind a desk that looked to be reserved for the president of the Student Council. A few of her Peerage members, a girl with sharp eyes and a blonde-haired boy...

"Aren't you the one from before?" I pointed out.

"Geh?!" He gasped.

A distinct sound that I recognized as readjustment of glasses of the High-class Devil in the area made me to turn my head. The girl was smiling thinly, her hands crossed together under her chin as she asked with an oddly serene voice.

"Sieg-kun, may I ask you where you met Genshirou-kun?" She asked.

 _Genshirou?_ I glanced between the boy and the girl.

Hmm... I guess there's no harm to answer right?

"Yesterday, when I discovered Gremory-san's Peerage spying my movement, this boy suddenly shouted to distract me from questioning her."

 _I see,_ Sitri nodded. She gave a brief look at Genshirou.

"Now, Genshirou-kun. Since you forgot to report you were found out..."

"Hii?! Have mercy on me, Kaichou!"

The Devil commanded, "Tsubaki, please guide Genshirou-kun to his post."

The one standing near Sitri nodded simply and walked to the boy, grabbing his collar before dragging him out from the office. During the process, I found the poor Reincarnated Devil having a session of hysteria with deathly pale complexion. Then the door closed.

Somehow, I want to pity him but I didn't know why I wanted to do so.

"Please excuse my Pawn's insolence, Sieg-kun. If I had known you have met Genshirou-kun..." Sitri apologized.

"You'd have prepared yourself for a more suitable hospitality right?" I finished.

The girl quieted down. Had I never tried to learn anything in the Great Grail War, I would never notice the instantaneous change in the Devil's expression. Her lips twitched, and her glasses flashed an eerie light as it overlapped with the shadow of the chair that fell upon him.

"Did you foresee this development, Sieg-kun?" Sona Sitri asked.

I nodded once, "I have met someone that resembled you to an extent, Sitri-san. While she often covered it with a radiant mask, you are slightly different. Colder, as if putting up a wall of ice rather than wearing the mask of a pierrot."

"An interesting comparison." The girl chuckled.

Even though she chuckled, there was no emotion in it. No, it was not like she suppressed it, sealing off her heart. That response... it was rehearsed, as if she was treating a conclusion of a formulated scenario. I wondered if it was a feint. In chess game, to lure the opponent by acting as if you misinterpreted your enemy was a common strategy.

"Hmm... I am honored, although you probably didn't invite me all the way here to engage in idle talk, Sitri-san." I answered.

"Really? Then do tell, what do you think I wish to do with you?" The Devil elaborated.

I shrugged, "Perhaps to know what I know. Or maybe my Sacred Gear. Or maybe my method in tearing through your bounded field."

Now I realized how perceptive she is. The girl before me did not react to my words that should have raised a few alarms in her mind, but it was exactly because she did not provide a subtle response that I knew she had gone through a lot to at least anticipate my method. This is no longer a talent, but a polished skill honed with years of experience.

"You raised a few points. Then Sieg-kun, if you permitted me, can I ask you one question?"

Acknowledging my silence, Sitri pushed her glasses up.

" _What are you?_ "

And so the world stilled.

Ah, it is not that it actually stilled. It was hard to explain as the air turned frozen, cold and excruciating even though it was nearing summer. I wondered what other change was apparent but when I gazed up, I saw the surface of the window slowly painted with a layer of white; a thin film of ice.

"You broke through the bounded field as if it was denied of your presence. I investigated the matter and rather than it being hacked to pieces, the protective layer was instead downgraded to the degree of the lowest that they barely acted as a one-off warning bell." The girl explained. "Not only that, your distinct scent is stronger than the Welsh Dragon. Your resistance against Phoenix's flame outclassing even Ultimate Devils' and you do not fear for your life despite being threatened be it by number or quality."

And once again, she repeated her question.

"What are you? You can't possibly be a human, Sieg-kun."

...

...truly a surprise. To think that my cover would be blown away even though not even a week have passed... This person certainly requested something absurd, something beyond my offer, something almost anyone would never catch had they not try to learn in reading between the lines.

However, her demand was too simple. Too one-sided. And too naive for no resident of the Moonlit World would ever answer with true honesty, especially when it centered in the Mystery of their identity. Only those with large egos would lecture their opponent in the middle of combat, be it in battlefield or in negotiation table. And only the likes of Magi who prided themselves in their bloodlines would live while looking down on the general populace.

It was the misconception often carried by those proclaiming as 'purebred'.

Therefore... "And what will you do if I told you what I am, Sona Sitri- _san_?"

The girl stared at me, observing my every movement with keen eyes. But soon she smiled a thin smile. A soft smile that obviously showed her feeling like an ice thawing, even if only for a moment.

"Had you been a human, I would have requested you to be my contractor."

Contractor?

"As in... having a geas contract? One that bounds you as a familiar?" I reaffirmed.

"Yes. That sort of contract. After all, you do not have any desire in surrendering your humanity no?" Sitri-san asked.

Well... If it's that, I don't know how should I respond. I am neither a human nor a true dragon. I am just an aberration with the heart of a Heroic Spirit, one who gave up His only chance to be granted an omnipotent wish. In fact, beings such as I were considered as 'Magic Circuits in the shape of a human' rather than 'a human with superior Magic Circuits'.

Even so...

"I do not wish to change what makes up who and what I am. I am fine as is, Sitri-san." I replied while placing a hand on my chest.

"Hence why I intended to offer you an equivalent-exchange alliance rather than that." The girl nodded.

I see... She deduced that far. A very promising tactician-in-the-making indeed. If she couldn't persuade me to join her Peerage, why not forge a healthy relationship where she could reap benefits whenever she is summoned forth, then slowly uncovering the truth surrounding me.

A very excellent plan. Though not without flaws, it is still remarkable enough that Archer of Black would praise her.

"Then, since I am not a human... you wish to at least know which force I belong to?" I asked, unable to stop my lips from fully twitching upward.

"Yes. If I could clarify your identity and faction, I can relay a report to the Maou that may allow you to live in this city." Sitri said.

"Ah... As I thought, this territory belonged to your kind. No wonder the church is left as is." I remarked.

And... maybe my tongue slipped once again. The Devil was staring at me very hard, and she pursed her lips in a suspicious manner.

"Sieg-kun, are you a member of the Church?" She asked, venom dripping at the last word of the sentence.

I executed a dry look, "My faith is placed not in any higher being who may or may not exist out there. To tell the truth, I distrust such beings very much."

"So you are an atheist." She concluded.

The tension on her shoulders vanished all at once. I wondered if I said something bad. Usually, people would react in varying ways if it involved religion. Ruler as the prime example, but I also knew other Heroic Spirits who never tried to pray to their Gods like Saber of Red. Her faith lied in her twisted view of her father instead.

Still, what I believed in was always one thing. And I doubted any could ever hope to change my faith. Not even the Fake Priest with his inhuman mastery over words could do it.

"Then what are you? Which faction do you belong to?"

Hm... which faction do I belong to? Dragons? But they never acknowledged my presence. Magi? I would rather die than being lumped together with them. What about Heroes? I... doubt a Poser such as I could ever be called as one. I am not worthy of the title anyway.

"I wonder which faction?" I asked myself, my arms crossed as I looked down to the floor.

"...you never associated with those of your own kin?" Sitri asked.

"I have lived for centuries in isolation, and I just left my hideout some days ago." I chuckled.

...eh? Did I blurt out another important fact again? I hastily checked on the Devil before me and...

Ah. She gaped. She must be stunned still. What have I done...?

"...Sieg-kun, how old are you?" The bobbed-haired girl inquired, though I could tell she was treading in delicately.

At least I could appreciate her concern. And now that the cat's out of the bag...

"I'm... not sure? I think thousands of years have passed ever since I lived on my own." I tilted my head.

 _Thousands,_ she reiterated slowly. The Devil gawked for a while before she breathed in and exhaled, spewing a large breath of air from her lungs in one attempt. Her expression once again returned back to the formal mask she always put on.

"I take back my question, " She announced, "Starting over again, may I know your identity, Sieg-kun?"

Well... "I am... a Homunculus, I think?"

" _You think?_ "

Sitri's deadpan stare somehow frightened me... I wonder why? Did I do something wrong? Almost everyone I knew closely always wore that expression whenever I did something similar to fighting a Servant with a borrowed sword...

* * *

After the complication had passed (Sitri decided that she had none with it until another opportunity arose), the student council members all gathered. Looking over, it was only I who sat on the sofa while drinking a tea prepared by the Vice President Tsubaki Shinra.

Then, I was also introduced to the rest of her Peerage members. The last one, Saji Genshirou, was excluded due to being out of commission or probation if I heard it correctly. Well... tough luck out there, kid.

"Hey, hey! Your name is Sieg, right?" A pig-tailed girl asked me with sparkling eyes.

I tilted my head, then nodded slowly. The twinkle in her eyes were like the brightest star in the dark sky and she leaned closer that I started to feel uncomfortable.

"Is it related to _the Wagner_?" Reya Kusaka innocently asked.

I stilled right at once. No... it can't be...?

"You know, the Hero that was adapted from a Nordic lore, Sigurd the Dragonslayer! I think the character that appeared in Wagner was..."

Ah, so that's it. She doesn't mean anything other than the legend and that performance, huh...

I exhaled in relief, "Siegfried the Dragonblooded Knight."

"Oh, yeah! That one! Can it be that 'Sieg' is also from that name...?"

Ugh... I was quite sure she didn't mean any harm. Truly, the petite yet attractive girl before my eyes was an enigma I needed to be cautious of. However, I also knew that from her voice and to her gesture, she was a blatantly honest child down to her curious heart.

It meant... she is probably an avid reader of mythology, one I could classify as 'a nerd' if my recent investigation on modern age proved correct.

Or maybe she is a researcher or an information trader...? Considering her position as both an authoritative figure as well as a Reincarnated Devil serving one of the 72 Pillars, I believe she has enough skills to be acknowledged by Sitri. If not, not even her looks could ever permit her from joining the Student Council. A very formidable being indeed... This school organization.

"It seems so." I shook my head, smiling wryly as I answered, "to tell the truth, this name was formed under the reason to honor his existence."

"Hoh... That sounds incredibly romantic." Kusaka commented.

Ah, a certain Knight would definitely scoff at my attempt though. She never liked an impostor since all they did was imitating without having a sense of originality. It might be related with her being a fellow Homunculus too.

Still I digress, "it came at the spurt of moment though. Mainly because Siegfried was... I guess he's a true Hero whose legend ended far too soon."

"Because his brother-in-law is a total wimpy excuse of a man right?" Kusaka smirked viciously.

And I can never disagree about that. Truly, had the king been able to prove his worth then the legend would have continued on, or perhaps ending in a better note. However, I also knew that lamenting the past was not something ought to do.

That Man picked his choice. Back there, he gave all he had to save my life, to revive me by giving this body a new heart. A chance to weave a new tale, even if it was not of his own. Even so, the Heroic Spirit was said to have passed on with satisfaction, genuine happiness filled his stoic feature as he faded away into glittering golden dust of light.

Thus in that moment, 'Siegfried' died, and in his place, 'Sieg' was born.

"Truly. I could never express how immensely grateful I am for knowing You, even if only for the briefest moment." I murmured to myself.

Then there was a clearance of a throat.

"So," Sitri suddenly exclaimed, loud enough for me to notice it as a mean to be conspicuous, "Tsubaki, have you found them?"

"I have, Kaichou. Would you like to send another team out tonight?" Shinra asked.

"As much as I'd like to, I didn't expect the numbers, and the place is set to their advantage." Sitri sighed.

Hm...? The other members are very attentive to this topic. Now I wonder why? What would make these young Devils tensing up, enough to show nervousness usually seen on new recruits before their first dive into a war?

A... war? Now that I think about it, the situation was like a bomb fuse ready to be ignited. A precarious situation where internal as well as external conflicts were capable of disrupting a short peace that usually would drive Gaia and Alaya to send out their most powerful Beasts. Could it be...

"Sitri-san? Is something wrong?" I asked after placing the teacup onto the table.

She glanced at me only to exasperate.

"That's right. Sieg-kun, you haven't been in touch with civilization 'recently'. Would you like to come with us?" She offered.

I raised an eyebrow, "and what are we going to do that requires everyone to move out?"

"Hunting Stray Devils." She answered, the last two words spoken out in utter distaste.

* * *

Devils possessed a society not dissimilar to humanity's.

It was said that before the current system was implemented, Devils lived like Devils. Spreading destruction and chaos, enticing humans to indulge in sins, torturing the good while draining everything from the poor. Anything Devils would do in the Bible, they did it all in the distant past.

After some times, specifically after the Great War, they reformed their societal structure and rebuilt everything from scratches. From the invention of Evil Piece system to Rating Game to election of the Satans, everything had changed so much; all for the purpose of bettering their lives and sliding the mortality rate.

However, it's not like all is good, even for a system that prioritized people's livelihood above everything.

"Stray Devils are what you call as criminals. Most cases are due to them running away to the human world without permission or killing other members of the same Peerage. And during their periods as fugitives, their power go haywire due to their Evil Piece having no supervisor linked to it, causing them to go berserk and becoming mindless monsters." I reviewed the information I have obtained an hour ago.

"The first case is usually salvageable," Sitri raised her index finger, "if negotiated before the time limit, they could be brought back to be sanctioned for their crimes. At least they still have the chance to regain their sanity before the Evil Piece within them running out of control completely. On the other hand..."

"Murdering their own family is something unforgivable, and they have less chance to protect their sanity from the corruption of their own power. I can understand that reasoning."

After all, I could never imagine myself killing my comrades when their dying whispers echoed in the back of my mind. I fought because I wanted to prevent those whispers from echoing. I jumped into the fray of an inhuman magical ritual all because I wanted to protect them, to protect everyone from embracing senseless death.

If there was a day where my hands would be forced to eradicate one life of a brethren...

"Sieg-kun, please stay sharp. This is already the enemy's territory." I heard Shinra's firm voice and I nodded.

In front of us was a warehouse at the western outskirts of the city, detached from residential complexes and no longer had any proper road to reach it. Late before midnight, the Student Council gathered here to conduct an investigation which resulted into a sudden war council.

The objective was to defeat traitors, Stray Devils that broke the laws of Devils. The targets consisted of a dozen from various places where they huddled together to form a moving group of fighters with several magic users backing them up in their mad conquest to flaunt their twisted powers.

My right hand lingered to a sword sheathed and hung at the left side of my waist. It was a simple eastern sword passed down in Shinra's house. One would wonder why but she hailed from a demon slayer's lineage. Obviously, the reason why I held it was because I requested her to lend me a weapon.

"I understand." I drew out the bladed weapon which was thin enough that ordinary human could break it if the flat side was stomped down. "Hunting Devils who already lost their reasoning is a dangerous business right?"

From what I've heard, Stray Devils who had lost their entire Peerage were doomed to lose their sanity because nobody could supervise their Evil Piece. Because Evil Piece was something akin to a black box that enhanced one's potential, anything that could go wrong would go wrong. And the longer they were left alone...

"...clearly, they are threats that must be disposed of." I stated though I held bitter feelings about it.

Killing their own kind in cold blood, and in return, hunted by enforcers who were also of the same kind. Unexpectedly, this dimension possessed a darker shade where not even eternity could permit one to escape from their sins. Like Primate Predators antagonized by humanity due to them preying on humans, the Stray Devils had no place in the territory of proper Devils.

Perhaps that is also the reason why law of equivalent exchange emerged.

"But Sieg-kun, can you do this? Are you going to be alright?" Kusaka chimed in.

"I have my Sacred Gear. And I doubt any magic the enemy have could touch me." I answered in matter-of-fact tone. "But since I am new around here, I will be under your command, Sitri-san."

The King shuddered a little for reason I didn't know of. Probably at my blatant lie that I possessed nothing such as Sacred Gear. Still, she cleared her throat without turning her back away from my sight.

"Very well then. Unfortunately, I do not know how you fight, Sieg-kun. I'd like you to guard the perimeter with Nimura-san and Genshirou-kun."

The only boy of the Student Council gasped, "B-but kaichou...?!"

"Genshirou-kun. Our targets this time are different. They're too much for the current you. Same goes to Nimura-san."

"Guh..."

And so the strategy was laid out in two parts. I listened carefully about my role as both an outsider as well as an observer. Even though I was not obliged to fight, I have the duty to ensure my promise. I too have a reason to not treat those who held out goodwill to me poorly.

* * *

Once the bounded field was erected to cover the entire warehouse, I heard shrill noise, the ground trembling while fluctuation of prana in the air changed from high to low for several occasions.

"Looks like it's beginning." I remarked as I heard an anguished, definitely inhuman roar traveling across the air.

It was followed by a large dent on the reinforced steel wall of the warehouse. Near the back entrance, I observed the surrounding by paying attention to the flow of magical energy in the air while gluing my sight at the old building.

"Ugh... why am I here when I could help Kaichou..." Genshirou lamented next to me.

"Because you are not allowed?" I quipped, earning myself an irritated scowl.

"You... and why are you here anyway? Hell, who are you?" He asked.

Hmh... somehow, his scornful look resembled Saber of Red's to an extent. When was the last time I ever saw that expression again?

Ah, yes. It was when I came back to life through Berserker of Black's suicide attack. Also when I survived even though I was overwhelmed by her Noble Phantasm. She sure liked to make a fuss over everything if it didn't go the way she wanted.

"A guest trying to learn the Devils' customs." I shrugged in a noncommittal way.

 _What the heck is that_ , the boy gaped. Even so, all I have as an excuse was that. Nothing more and nothing less. Minutes soon passed by in silence, a time I could be comfortable with gazing the starry sky above-

"Gaaaaaah! How long are they going to finish?!"

Until Genshirou snapped.

"Take this!" Then came a serious shout coming from the inside of the warehouse, followed by the shattering of window and a shadow flitting across my sight.

"Ah." I looked at the falling figure, clouded by dust as inhuman growls and hacking filled the air.

Glancing at the boy who stood frozen like a stone statue, I decided to snap him out from his daze by pointing out.

"One is about to be done for here."

"You tell me THAT now?! And what the heck is that-!?"

A ferocious howl spread across the bounded field, enough to instill fear in Genshirou's panicking heart. I shifted slightly, locking my eyes at a monster that slowly stood up in languid fashion akin to an undead. Glowing red eyes, putrid breaths that made even I to frown upon, with the stature coming close to Berserker of Red's.

A monster... no. A... minotaur? Or perhaps a baphomet? It was wounded heavily but judging from the ferocity of its eyes...

"Looks like you refuse to go down without a fight." I commented. "Tenacious, just like other from your myth."

I readied a stance, even as noise erupted from the back entrance. Ignoring Sitri-san's curses, the monster was not moving as did the Devils.

 _And I stepped forward._

The Stray Devil howled, it's muscular arms larger and longer than human's stretched out in attempt of squashing me in their grasps. It rushed in a blinding speed that probably had something to do with the Evil Piece running amok within it.

 _"Straße \ gehen"_

In an instance, a hammer fired within my mind. The magic circuits activating as heat enveloped my entire body. I felt energized, the od circulating and accelerating as a spell was executed toward my intended target - the sword in my hand.

 _An eastern sword, known as katana. Nameless, an inheritance passed within a family descended of a warrior's lineage. A tool of killing, yet holding no malice or even goodwill. It's blade was 83-centimeters long, forged through a dozen folding of iron. Hence - it was a weapon meant to slice and stabbing rather than to cleave._

"And so - it must not break so easily against you." I brandished the altered sword with my right hand as I kicked the ground, leaping forward.

Bluish silver flash traveled alongside me. As the Stray Devil skidded to a halt, the wind that followed it went past it along with a cloud of dirt where I plowed through it.

I heard a shriek as a shadow fell upon me. The Stray Devil swung a bloodied fist downward, intending to pulverize me with one strike.

"Ha!" I spat out a mouthful amount of air while swinging the katana to meet the fist.

Usually, the fragile blade would have shattered. It would have broken down into pieces, becoming nothing but fragments of iron. But my Magecraft proved the possibility wrong as the silvery-blue blade seared through the fist, cutting deep into the arm of the Stray Devil.

I didn't waste time as I continued and sliced the entire arm into two. Blood sprayed as the Stray Devil shrieked in agony but at the same time, I was already upon him; the reinforced katana pulled to the left before letting loose a diagonal slash from the bottom of the enemy's right side all the way to the left collarbone.

Only when the severed body part touched the ground was the time for silence to regain it's dominion.

"Gbh... gha... you... Hu...man...!"

Or maybe not. I stared at the severed upper body of the Stray Devil. With blotted purple smokes, the monstrous form shrank and slowly reformers into the shape of a... young man.

Aah... could it be, that was the influence of the Evil Piece? Such monstrosity was almost no different than Mad Enhancement in nature. Still, it allowed me to have a few words with him.

"Why?" I asked as the tip of the sword lingered at the space between his eyes, "Why did you betray your own kin?"

The dying Stray Devil snorted in disdain. With a smug smirk, he glared at me and raised his nose as if he was looking down on me.

"I've got no need of useless fools as my equals! Don't you dare to insult this Middle-Class Devil!" He shouted.

Middle-Class? A rank in nobility? I glanced at Sitri who was obviously frowning at the chauvinistic display of arrogance.

Still, I wished to know, "what about those Devils you murdered? You were relied upon, treated as a friend. Why did you kill your friends then?"

The youth's eyes narrowed. He growled, and finally...

"Oh, please... As if some lowlife could ever be my friends. Even minions are too high of a praise for them, including that son-of-a-bitch King!" He spat out.

I heard his words. No fallacy could be detected. I gazed at his dark eyes that were clouded by darkness, by greed... And I closed my eyes, promptly exhaling and pierced the head of Stray Devil. With a short shriek fading away along with it's body, nothing remained except black traces of the being. I turned my back and walked toward the enforcers.

"Sitri-san," I called out, "Is this how all Devils are?"

The girl shook her head, "No. Although, as much as I'd like to deny that, many people, including the pureblooded clans of the Pillars are brought up with too much privileges. But there are still many who are not as blackhearted like this thing."

"I see..." My voice faded in both lamentation as well as relief.

I lamented for the fates of the humans who chose to abandon their humanity only to be corrupted by their own power. But I was also relieved that even Devils, the embodiment of sins such as the Sitri and Gremory possessed hearts that did not lean to evil.

Even so... If the majority of them are acting in this way...

"Sitri-san." I called out again, staring straight to the pair of clear eyes.

The girl seemed to have gone rigid as a small red tinted the edges of her cheeks. I wondered why her reaction looked nostalgic but in any case...

"Do you... have any chance to treat you Peerage like he did?" I asked, careful so as not to bring up misunderstandings.

"No," the answer was instantaneous, "I will never forgive myself should I ever treat my Peerage, my family whom I gathered by my own will as mere expendable pawns."

"Can you... promise me that?" I asked back.

"Ah. I promise. In the name of House of Sitri, my ancestor and the Lucifers, I will never allow myself nor anyone of my Peerage to ever stray into the wrong path."

And so I smiled. It was little, and I doubted the words of a Devil. Even so, that promise resounded in my mind, reminding me of someone who took up the oath in assisting me until the end of days.

"Thank you."

Hence why I expressed my gratitude. In honoring the Heroic Spirit who guided me during my most turbulent time... and as 'friends'...

Those words meant everything for me.

* * *

Still, I wondered if I had done it terribly.

Perhaps I did. If not, I wouldn't have received excessive praises from Sitri-san's Peerage. The Devil even went to a length that she rewarded me with money, the number with which was quite confusing me as I didn't know for what to spend it all for. The parting was also quite difficult since the President of Student Council requested to know my address, a topic I earnestly avoided due to the amount of suspicious factors that may come up should the truth be discovered. Thankfully, the opportunity to return the sword allowed me to bolt off in the last second.

"Either way..." I stalled. "Why are you here again?"

Four hours before dawn, in the abandoned church, I encountered the Watcher of the Stars once again. He looked like he was marveling the broken crosses that fell off its stand on the wall, and only when I was near him did he respond. Turning around, he greeted me with an apologetic smile.

"Pardon my intrusion, young man. I was thinking to myself." So he said.

Is that so... I chose to not question since there was something odd with his behavior. I also noticed his politeness seemed like it was forced, as if he was holding back from letting his emotion running rampant.

Regardless, knowing the correct time and situation to act is something I have yet to master, even though centuries had passed.

"Hm...?" The man frowned, "Young man, what have you been doing earlier?"

Ah? I looked at myself. Certainly, the creases and unkempt lines in the clothes displayed a rather rough impression. To tell the truth, there was also a faint scent of rust. It seemed I need to wash these clothes soon.

"This?" I raised my right arm, flexing it slightly. "There was... A scuffle. Nothing worth of note though."

Is that so, the man trailed. He looked anxious, seemingly worried for a split second. But then again, I also remembered a particular matter.

"Say... you have been living around here for a while right?" I reaffirmed.

"Indeed I am. Is something the matter?" He asked.

My hand scrambled and pulled the brown envelope. Showing it to the man, I then looked straight at his curious eyes.

"I have amassed wealth. How should I spend it?" I asked for an advice.

" _What?_ "

Later, I found out that expression was something many people, even his Father never saw. After blurting out that fact, the man's workplace was taken by a storm that would last for seven days and seven nights as if the Apocalypse Dragon left his hideout only to drink coffee in a roadside caf・

Of course, that's a story for another time.

* * *

"Sitri-san, may I ask for some mission such as the one you took up several nights ago?"

Once again, I was in Kuoh Academy's Student Council office. After the pleasantries, a short reading over a novel, and the regular shifting of documents, I struck up a conversation.

The King alongside her two Bishops, Kusaka and Hanakai, turned their heads to me as if I had grown a second head.

"Now... why would I offer you a work strictly related for devils?" The King asked, "To begin with, Sieg-kun. Do you not work?"

"As much as I'd like to have one, my position does not allow me to have much interaction with the mundane part of the world." I scratched the back of my head, my other hand placing a bookmark between pages where the young Shadeslayer was about find out his origin.

The novel itself was a very interesting one, revolving around the concept of medieval fantasy where a dark empire encroached the entire continent, led by a tyrant capable of eradicating the dragons with the aid of dark arts, nonhumans, undead called as Shades and skinless monsters from a land beyond the deadly seas. Although what interested me the most was the dynamic between the protagonist and his trusted partner.

It is simply thought-provoking, to wonder what the last dragon of her species sees in her turbulent life.

"...wait. Then how did you... never mind," Sitri shook her head, "I intended to arrange something for Rias, so would you like to deliver it to her?"

Hm? A delivery... is it? After all the sudden spending I had done, I guess this could be a start. I badly needed it after all.

"I thought the Gremory has yet to return from their training camp?" I pointed out.

"That doesn't mean we have no way to contact them. There is a teleportation spell to allow us Devils to travel from one point to another freely." Sitri answered my curiosity.

And I was pleased. Teleportation. Instantaneous transportation from a point to another, a kind of Sorcery for humanity was a common spell among the Devils? As I thought, the magical civilization of Age of Gods could never be underestimated. Now I could understand a little why so many Magi desired to attain what the ancient people could do.

It doesn't mean their entire methods are still justifiable.

"Very well then. I too am interested to see how far they have progressed to." I closed the novel, placed it back into the bookshelf.

"Ah, here, Sieg-kun!" Kusaka presented me a cardboard box covered neatly with elegant wrappings.

"So this is the one...?" I raised my eyebrow, feeling something strange from the box.

Why does it feel it was leaking out prana? Could it be... A Mystic Code?

"Well, it depends on her if she'd accept it or not. Rias is genuinely stubborn if she was helped in solving a mess she created herself." Sitri sighed.

Hanakai chuckled, "Kaichou sure is shy~ even though she's as stubborn as Gremory-senpai!"

Suddenly the Student Council president glared at her Bishop.

"Hanakai-san, would you like to sign all of these printouts?" She asked with a cold smile.

Ignoring the frightened yelp, the other Bishop tugged my sleeve and dragged me away from the office.

"Alright, Sieg-kun! This way here!" Kusaka uttered in an overly innocent and singsong manner.

...hm... mortal realm sure is vibrant with colorful aspects.

* * *

The sensation of being broken down into particles of magical energy, transferred to another place and reformed back by the mechanism of Magecraft was something I experienced for the first time.

It wasn't all-too-pleasing, really.

As a dragon, my Magic Core is something enormous and powerful that a little imbalance might create a havoc upon a piece of land. It didn't help that my species lived through reaping prana by a hefty amount in an instance and that meant I must limit myself to the extreme if I wanted to prevent genocide from occurring. I was somewhat thankful that this dimension held a superfluous amount of prana in the atmosphere else I would have devoured the entire city when I exited the Dimensional Gap.

That is why... "I have no desire to go through that spell again."

"Ah... well, you'll get used to it whether you wanted or not." Kiba Yuuto chuckled dryly. "Still, thank you for coming all the way here in a short notice, Sieg-kun."

"It's fine. I volunteered for this after all."

Walking through a gaudy hallway, the villa the Gremory Peerage trained at was something I recognized as yet another symbol of Devils' measurement of wealth. It held nothing like the defensive purpose of a castle but it served well in fascinating those who would enter the place.

The marble-sculpted pillars, luxurious furniture from age of antiquity, paintings drawn by famous artists... Anything that may appear in a noble's household could be confirmed in this villa.

"However, where are the rest?" I asked as I glimpsed a swimming pool from the windows.

"Issei-kun is still training in the backyard with Koneko-chan, while Buchou and Akeno-senpai are teaching Asia-chan support magic that may help in the Rating Game." Yuuto answered readily.

Hm... even so, I heard faint sounds almost as if projectile-type Mystic Codes were blasted to the ground like a form of bombardment. The chain of sounds and slight tremors also came from the back of the villa.

"I wonder what kind of training methods you all use?" I asked honestly.

"It varied depending on the person, I guess. Since Issei-kun is our _Trump Card_ , his training consisted of enhancement of his foundation so that he can at least last until the opportunity arises."

Trump... Card...? I tilted my head, wondering why would they assign such role in that boy.

I admit having a dragon soul sealed in a sacred weapon is something beyond remarkable but treating the wielder who looked as if he had next-to-no experience in combat as a vital asset in a strategy is just... too readable. Even with my short experience, I could at least anticipate such simple tactic with three different countermeasures.

"Are you sure?" I stalled, "I don't believe placing Hyoudou such role will guarantee your Peerage's chance in victory."

For the first time, the blond Knight's smile faded, exchanged with pursed lips and narrowed eyes that seemed to provoke my battle instinct for a moment. Before he could retort to my words, however...

" _Sieg-kun... Can I ask why do you think my tactic is insufficient to achieve victory?_ "

In front of us was the King of the Knight. Rias Gremory stood with arms crossed under her bosom as she stared hard at me as if I was her archenemy.

I breathed out. Yet again, my slip of tongue have drawn me to a vortex of problems. I can now say for certain that Rider was a bad influence to me.

* * *

"Thus, it is very hard to say you can win against Phoenix, even if you tried to have Hyoudou's assistance."

In a place befitting as meeting room, I met the gaze of the young lady of Gremory even when I was surrounded by her entire Peerage. There was no fear, no arrogance in my voice. I simply stated the common facts anyone could grasp if given the time.

For example, the Phoenix was a seasoned Peerage who had participated in Rating Games for many times, and they were known to have amassed successive winning streaks. No group could ever achieve such height with brute force alone.

"But Sieg-kun, Issei here has something that can help us in outdoing Riser's regeneration." Gremory stated stubbornly.

It seemed like she had pride over her Peerage. It was good that she thought of her family highly but she forgot something.

"And because of that, don't you think they would anticipate his role in battle?" I glanced between the anxious boy and the stern girl.

It was easy to come up with a strategy, but to actually execute it flawlessly was an entirely different matter. I understood because I have experienced firsthand what a real war felt like. Conducted by two sides, with one having a reactor that could have allowed them winning the war so easily had no internal struggles occurred, and another side who foresaw and manipulated every factor to do their leader's bidding.

I shook my head slowly, "Rias Gremory, do you know the pain of losing something?"

The girl quieted down, her form rigid and I noticed the hands on the hem of her skirts trembling. I decidedly ignored that reaction and simply met her bluish-green gaze.

"In war, you risked everything in exchange of what you wanted to achieve. Yourself, your possession, or perhaps your comrades and family." I explained. "If you believed that everything will be alright, then you are sorely mistaken. War is cruel. Reality is the limit of your dreams. And you can never expect your enemy to be so foolish that they will do everything you wished them to do."

When the Black Faction believed they would win, a third party interrupted a carefully laid out plan. In the inside was a Master who looked down on his Servant, in the outside was a Priest who had waited for decades to have his wish be granted even if he had to manipulate everyone as his pawns.

But the ones who truly suffered were those that wanted none with war.

My comrades were ordered to plunge into their untimely deaths, vanishing into the void with nothing but faint whispers that could never reach anyone. The one who helped me was punished for his involvement in assisting my escape, and another sacrificed his life to give me a second chance to walk on earth. Even the maiden who pledged her entire existence for her God ended up surrendering her life once again just to stall a madman who believed he had the right to give everyone his own version of salvation.

"If you wish to win your battle, do not stop at creating one opportunity for victory. It may be hard, it may be difficult, but it is never impossible to find another way in defeating your adversary, Rias Gremory." I stated my intention.

"...are you saying that since I only have one plan, I have to make more?" The Devil inquired.

I nodded, "As backups, yes. There is never one way to grasp victory. Even if it's unsightly, even if it's not honorable, even if it's painful... It is far better than losing everything."

And so - my discussion with the Devil ended. Everyone who was in the room breathed out a relieved sigh as the young crimson-haired girl pondered over my advice seriously before slowly nodding deeply. I was thanked upon, was given a gaze similar to the one Lancer of Red gave as he dissipated into golden dust of light.

Still I wondered. Have I done the right thing...?

* * *

"Hey, Sieg!" Hyoudou called out to me during my walk back to the teleportation array room.

I turned around, facing him as he grinned and extended his right arm forward, his hand balled into a fist.

"Thanks for that help, man. Now we've got something more to win against that fried chicken bastard." He said with an impressively enthusiastic intonation.

I tilted my head, "I didn't do much though?"

"Still, that was nice to hear. You offered buchou important advice and you even tried to consider our worries." Hyoudou snickered, "you're a great pal, ain't ya?"

Pal...? As in... friend? I looked at the extended knuckle. Could it be... He expected me to do the same?

"...but I didn't do anything that can help you for real right? The Rating Game hasn't even started yet." I tried to reason with Hyoudou.

But the boy waved a hand in protest, "you were amazing! I also got an idea too so we're going to win!"

 _That's why..._

"So, again. You're a great friend, _Sieg_."

...

Ah... If only... If only you were here. That line. That cheerful grin.

Honestly, I missed it so much. I wish I could do more. I wish I could have done a lot more. But only someone like you could have stopped me from going down the same path as that Fake Priest.

"Ah. Make sure you win, Hyoudou." I replied.

"Issei is fine. We're buddies after all." He said.

"Got it, _Issei_. Well... good luck."

Bumping our fists, exchanging wide smiles as one side was about to face a storm without no place to retreat...

Truly. If only you were here... Rider.

* * *

Getting up from a comfortable bed, a pair of eyes lingered on the darkness before shifting to see the starry sky outside the windows. Flowing soft hair brushed slender frames of shoulders as a small lock of white hair blocked one eye from seeing.

Even so, the owner of those brilliant eyes that seemed as if they held no fear against any kind of trial gazed up. Long after a crisis was averted, the world seemed to continue to progress forward. There was a rise and fall of civilization. Another crisis that needed to be prevented. And so many Holy Grail Wars to fight in even though That Person had long vanished from the world together with the vile Greater Grail.

The rosebuds lips quivered. The heart thumped quickly as memories surged back and washing over the tiny body in the hotel room. It could not be seen but surely, a stream of hot tears traveled down the soft cheek of the one who was left behind. A special keyword, one which had resided in the back of memories for so many years was uttered.

"Master...?"

* * *

 **-Author's Rambling (may contain spoiler to Fate/Apocrypha)-**

 _"64 Reviews... 132 Followers... 103 Favorites... 4,220 views... Oh? Eh? What!? No, I'm not drooling!"_

Moving on, I apologize for the delay. I decided to remake the entire chapter due to sticking with canon too much is not good. I think that following after Gremory peerage with their training does not benefit Sieg very much, and he's not the always-helpful Shirou. Fundamentally, Sieg has less emotions and wants and the first instance where he tried to help is when he wanted to free his comrades (homunculi) from being slaughtered senselessly. He's got no obligation but after knowing what life is, and after listening to their dying voices, Sieg summoned the will to fight for their rights to choose.

After that... He's basically a lost kid boarding a ship in a raging storm without any beacon.

Thus, I opted for this scenario instead. It might look unhelpful and his role is nothing major. Hell, from Issei's pov, Sieg would be a passing by wise guy, a support character. But I think nothing's bad with calming yourself, sitting down and have a nice talk once in a while. Nothing might change, the outcome may not change but there's definitely a step toward it. Every problem has their own solution, be it instantaneously or slowly. And really, I don't believe subtle change doesn't mean nothing will _ever_ change.

* * *

 **RAC!**

guisniperman: Yes, I understand now. It's somehow good to hear that the evaluation is not because of something like OP characters or OP curbstomps happening. I'm getting bored of reading simple stories where the characters can breeze through everything with brute strength alone. That's why western stories can be good due to the mundane life being peeled scene-by-scene, though I found it often as redundant at times too.

T-B-R: Balmung is acquired when Sieg turned into a Servant. But of course, the Balmung in DxD is different but there'll be a teeeeenny bit of twist in the plot when it came to it. Mo-chan _is_ Mordred. In the TYPE-MOON circle itself, Mo-chan is often nicknamed as 'Mo-san'. Even Yuuichirou Higashide-sensei called her thusly.

thisissupposedtobeblank: Great Red is technically the Dragon of Apocalypse. He can do what Zelretch can do, and he lives as he please like a biker delinquent.

Gawain-Knight of the Sun: *chalks +1 for each servant*

blarg7856: Beowulf _can_ be interesting due to Grendel appearing once again in DxD, but he's the archetype of all Dragon Slayers and Western Dragons lore, so he is a very powerful force to be reckoned. *looks up at his bio* Scratch that, his younger self is more of a brawnhead battle maniac, and he shrugged mad enchantment that you can have a high-grade conversation out of him. A storm like that will be hard to control and may broke the plot if not done right.

RedRat8: So no your mentioned servants then. Good, I need a list of 'must-not-appear HS' because I _loathe_ writing half-assedly. Scathach also cannot be summoned since the Land of Shadow has yet to disappear.

The Ultimate Balance of Chaos: Thank you for your kind word. Hope you will enjoy the ride then.

Wernher von Braun: *chalks +1 for Astolfo* Yeah... I can certainly see that so those that can do that is limited to Super Devils and above. ...wait, at this rate, the heroine of the story will be that guy!?

Shin XIX: My apology, my Nasuverse wisdom is waning. Still... *+1 Tamamo (caster)* Nightingale...? Wow, her personality truly shocked me. She comes close with Kerry but her 'doesn't listen to people' trait is a tall hurdle to overcome. Anyway, an interesting HS so-*chalks +1*

Guest-san: Oh, these Command Spells are... slightly different in purpose. You'll see later. Also, the Sieg!fried part... well, he's distancing himself away from the HS so there'll be some surprise about it.

xxoblivionxxx: Yes, yes, I regret checking on Solomon now. Feels like it has spoiled the FGO storyline. And fate/extra is not something I have touched (yet) so I have zero idea of what you meant, or the event you referred from.

DragonXDelinquent: Thank you. A character who grew to want a desire for his own selfish reason is something I found refreshing among the many Ally-of-Justice fanfics out there, especially in Nasuverse. And the Greater Grail... *cue creepy laughter* ...oh, there'll be _something,_ sooner or later. Well, Fafnir would notice the uncanny resemblance of Sieg with his slayer anyway, and the descendant... maybe I should prepare That famous OST?

faresjojor: Because nothing major has happened... I'm sorry if the flow looked too slow but I like going in my own pace.

Ipman: Personally, that Demon King is a hax HS. No, I don't know if she(?) can be called as a hero either, and she'd OHKO Loki so... *chalks +1 and label 'tread with extra cautions*

Eurigos: Thank you, reader-san.

Ehh Im a guest: The system Great Red mentioned is a _New System_ derived from Gaia's and a certain dimension's. It's something that is said as 'improved' from existing Systems so yeah... it's a total unknown built from the power of crossover. Also, there's no ONE Grail. At the end of canon!FA, Sieg mentioned even after he departed, 'many similar wars' erupted on earth after times went by. And the person is that possessor of Vritra Sacred Gear. Forgot his name somewhat.

Azum: At some point... there'll be chaos around it! And let the hate rain down!

King0fP0wers: Not quite sure of the tier of Longinus. If you can enlighten me then you are very welcome. And Kintaro? Did you mean Kintoki? There are several types of Servants (Possession, demi, High, and Grand) around and to be honest... I think I'm going to implement several (Grand excluded) in the story. Meanwhile, the HF... Muahahahaaa! It's going to be even more shocking than that!

mike21: Probably. Welsh is technically the symbol of Britain after all. And I apologize since my wisdom of Nasuverse is waning.

Student: Fumu... thanks for the info. I need to be cautious of the power balance so I'll keep it in mind tightly. *+1 for Demon Archer*

taovkool: And may you enjoy the ride~

RandomBoredGuy: Well, it depends on the votes actually and to be honest, even if Tamamo were to appear, Sieg has yet to reach the point where he's reunited with Jeanne. He has a lot to learn, really. Like seriously, he's a newborn existence thrown into a war between Heroes and left the realm within what? A week? Several weeks? There's definitely not enough time for him to understand the world.

Guest-san: Please consider why I chose to opt out Casters from Fate/Apocrypha and allowing votes from all fate-verses for that position.

Kirin: I think Boosted Gear and Divine Dividing are often compared with each other. Some said Boosted gear is stronger and other said Divine Dividing is the more excelling one. Rias probably wishes to boast a little since she has high pride over her Peerage she gathered. And yes, Shakespeare would _writhe_ in delight just to watch some dramas, but he's infamous in wanting to twist everything for a tragic ending. Not a good material to be Sieg's entourage unfortunately.

Thunder Dragon: At first glance: long! *read carefully...* Now let's see...

1A: Nasuverse's Phantasmal Beasts are too much to be true. But the Dimensional Gaps are cracked allover so the possibility of leakage are quite high.

2A: As long as it's not too OP that he become able to One-Punch everything, it's okay! I need some second opinions after all!

3A: May~be? I can't reveal spoiler so have some anticipation okay?

4A: Pairings will still be undecided for now. Sieg has got some more things to learn before he can move on having harem. He's not a self-sufficient entity with common sense after all, and way too pure (or probably too blockheaded) to recognize what love is. Still, I accept the inputs for the pairing in mind.

P1: He's already got EX Magic Resistance due to his nature. But yes, he can learn it if I find it needed.

P2: Sieg is no longer 'Pure' due to him having experienced life. There will certainly be various difficulties in utilizing Siegfried's ability but what he experienced when he became a Possession-type Servant meant he could absorb the techniques.

P3: Sieg is not fond of magic. He has personal distaste since Yggdmillennia used Magecraft to control his comrades (the Homunculi) into soldiers and energy supply for a war where they don't participate in the frontline. But that's exactly why a Caster can (hopefully) assist him in the matter.

P4: DxD dragon powers. I'm not sure Fafnir likes to see the one who killed him. Sieg has similarity with Siegfried (and probably Sigurd as well) so it may not go well. Still plausible though.

* * *

The Guests: Thank you for the vote and reviews. It means very much for me since feedback are rarely given for my past stories so it's just HARD to improve further. However, I don't know how I am supposed to answer the exceptional questions if I don't even know to who I am addressing the answers to. Mh... I'll hold them for now until I can find some way to do it. I'm sorry if I look like I'm ignoring you all but things happen often.


	5. Chapter 4 - Observing

**Small Notice:** In case anyone hasn't noticed, currently allotted Servants are **Saber(Mordred)** and **Rider(Astolfo)** , and Sieg can **transform** into either Sieg!fried or Fafnir!Sieg. His power level is _probably_ set at several levels under former Dragon King Tannin; possible malleable factor to future changes. Also, Reviews' Answering Corner A.K.A. **RAC** is held below EVERY chapter AFTER **Author's Rambling**.

* * *

 _Friends._

It was something I have yet to understand. Be it the meaning of the term, the emotion that came with that word, and the bond that continued to develop as times went by. I have, certainly considered my brethren as such though in my own way, 'comrades' suit our relationship more than anything.

But is it because I came from the same Origin that I considered them as such? Or is it because a bond was forged between us from the moment we were born?

"Such a hard thing to understand..." I exhaled in lamentation, "Perhaps I truly am lacking in living a life."

While looking up at the wooden ceiling above, I let myself showered by morning sunlight, letting myself swept by the songs of the birds and the breezes that whispered through the cracks in the walls. It's been a while ever since I basked in calm serenity like this...

"Ah, that depends on other people's view of you, my friend." A voice retorted to my musing.

I glanced at the doorstep, the silhouette of the Watcher of the Star became apparent as he tipped his hat while greeting me in his own way. I nodded slightly and some birds scattered, feathers floating down while being basked by the sunlight. I was honestly in awe at the sight of the avian creatures spreading their wings into the blue sky.

"Yet another problem is plaguing your mind, it seems." The man interrupted.

I sighed, "You certainly know how to read my mind, Mr. Watcher."

"No such thing," He defended, "You are far purer than you thought you are, young man."

Pure... is it? I wonder when the last time I was called as that. ...I guess during the lecture and discussions about how my Command Spell worked during the Great Grail War by the Master of Berserker.

"...that is right..." I placed a hand on my chest, feeling my heart beating as I recalled that this life of mine is not entirely my own, but _someone else's_ as well.

"Is something weighing your mind?" The Watcher asked.

Weighing... is it? I recalled the burden that was being carried by someone out there. A boy who closely resembled someone else, whose loved one's fate rested on his and his friends' shoulders. Even though he said those brave words, and even though he said they could do it...

"Yes. Perhaps I am," I answered, seemingly deflated the longer I remembered my last meeting with the Gremory's entourage, "I am wondering if I can help my friends in some ways or another soon."

"Friends..." The man before me smiled, his eyes glittered as if he was glad I have some connections with the natives of this dimension.

That wizened gaze. That gentle smile... I wonder why am I curious about it? Why would such powerful being express such emotion? What kind of meaning did that smile carry?

"If you'd like, you can share your story, young man. After all, two heads are better than one, no?" The Watcher offered.

And I... had no word to say about it. He was correct. Truly, it's the only possible way if I cannot solve this problem by myself. But is it alright, to place burden in his shoulders as well?

"Please. No need to worry, for I do not mind in sharing your worries. I have enough experience in dealing with the more... _problematic staffs_ at my workplace."

Ah, I can certainly see that. From that pained gaze and twitching lips to the furrowing eyebrows... This man must have suffered through sheer insanity such as seeing a floating garden ripping apart a Greater Grail from the leyline, or maybe something similar. In any case, I have no choice, do I?

With such thought, I explained the circumstances, my interference and the following bets that would occur in days to come. Once I finished retelling my tale, however...

"Yet again, I find it unfathomable for such distasteful custom to endure even within a free age such as now." The Watcher, clearly annoyed by the practice of Arranged Marriage, scowled deeply.

I nodded in sentiment, "It is why I wish to help. Her friends have decided to confront the other side to 'persuade' them but.."

"A foolish egotistical kid raised in viewing 'common people' as something below him is the least of your concern when he has issued a chance for a session of 'persuasion'." The man told me, " _It is a trap._ A mere opportunity to flaunt power. Do not underestimate one whose mindset was tailored to be a member of the upper society, young man."

As I thought... I didn't doubt that Impostor to have tricks under his sleeves and playing unfairly. From the beginning, such arrogance always bred powerful greed, blind and raw that people like him would think even rules bowed down under their 'might'.

Just like how most Magi are.

"Still... It has indeed escalated, yet all you can do is watching from the sideline. It must have been a torture to stay idly like that..." The Watcher gazed upon me with sympathy and pity combined together.

"Perhaps. I... I hate it, being unable to do anything at all." I drooped my shoulders, trying my best to distract myself from revisiting the memories where many of my comrades fell and scattered in pieces in the opening of Great Grail War.

The helplessness. The sadness to part with them. The sickening despair of having had to send those who had no chance away from the shores of the living...

It hurts. Even though centuries had passed, the ghost of pain, the retching phantoms of the past continued to fester the corner of my heart, breathing curses with empty eyes devoid of life and agonized whispers.

"Young man, relax." And I was broken from my stupor when a hand rested on my shoulder.

I looked up, meeting a pair of gentle eyes, a tranquil smile driving away the dark residual thoughts that held my mind until now. With a seemingly infinite kindness, the man stopped me from entering that dark path once again.

"Let the past be. You cannot hope to change it but try to learn from it. If it's painful, overcome it or let it go. There is no need for you to burden yourself." He stated.

I looked up at him, staring at the old light within his eyes. Profound, strong and yet aged. Even so, the light he carried was soothing me; it reassured me without forcing myself from taking a path I did not want to.

Either overcoming it... or letting it go.

Two choices, seemingly so easy to say but so very hard to do. I knew the weight of one's chosen path, for I have once picked a life of eternal solitude to prevent a world crisis. To abandon everything for the sake of a future someone fought for, also to ensure that aberrations such as I was still allowed to live in a world that had gone twisted and wrong.

I breathed out, "I... Can I do it?"

"You can," The man told me, turning his back as he began his departure once again. "You are the commander of your soul. You may fight till the very end, or abandon the darkness to live under the basking light. However..."

He gave a sidelong glance at me. Forlornly, like a person who watched the fleeting growth of his child.

"Remember. You are not alone. You have the privilege to ask for help, _son._ "

And then, into the outside world he vanished to. Leaving me all alone as the chirps of bids faded into obscurity. As times went by, I felt the intensity of the warmth of the sunlight growing, and I craned my head upward.

"...yes. I guess I truly am at a loss." So I told myself.

Even though I wanted to help, I lacked the method. Even though I wished to do something, my path was obstructed. After all... _what can one person do by himself?_

"I may be a dragon. I may be a hero. I may have saved a world from premature end, but one person can never achieve everything two persons can do." I told myself simply, as if chiding my past and current behaviour.

If so, the only way left is by finding it. Something to assist me. Someone that can shatter the chains, pulverizing the wall in front of me with surety. Of everyone that I knew, met and understood...

"Ah. If only 'you' were here..." I lamented with a bitter, troubled smile. "Well, I guess I should at least stop dilly-dallying then-"

I heard a clattering sound. It was small, insignificant as well as common in a dying building such as this church. But could not ignore it, no. My instinct honed by battles forced my eyes to squint as I searched the source of noise that seemed to have originated nearby.

And then I found it. A silvery-white object rolling on the wooden floor, the sunlight reflected in the color of cobalt blue as the small, seemingly cylindrical object danced slowly before rounding up next to my shoe.

My eyes widened to the limits.

"This is..."

* * *

Issei Hyoudou was plagued by the first Rating Game he was about to participate in. It would be held tomorrow evening with the stage set in a house field version of Kuoh Academy.

Make no mistake, he was an average perverted high school student whose life turned upside down after a single date. He didn't even know he was born with a Sacred Gear linked to his existence, nor was he aware that some would kill him just because he had it. _Hell, I didn't even agree to have anything other than boobs and a harem!_

After his reincarnation - _yes, he was told that_ \- into Devil - _and yes, that one creature said to be the symbol of all sins_ \- of course Issei had a fairly hard time to deal with everything. Now though? Well, at least he got recruited as a Peerage member of the number one most beautiful woman of Kuoh Academy. Also, it seemed his Sacred Gear contained the soul of a Heavenly Dragon which made it as a mid tier Longinus, a special variant said as capable of slaying even God.

" _Issei-san, are you nervous?_ " Suddenly a familiar voice echoed. "You've been rubbing your left arm for a while."

Snapping his thoughts, he looked to the left of him, finding that in the dark hallway in his home, a sleepy Asia Argento was staring up at him. Usually, her wearing pajamas loosely would have driven his head and teenage hormones to overdrive but the Pawn knew all too well his role in this chaos, and he confessed he was also the reason why this all happened.

 _To sum it up, I'm a mess right now._

"Ah... yeah. _Sorry_ , Asia-chan. Did I wake you up?" Issei asked both in concern and worry.

The sleepy girl simply tilted her head, "It's okay... Issei-san, I'm sure everyone's the same."

 _Right. Everyone huh...?_ Issei imagined how the others coped with the thought of tomorrow. He was certain as hell that no one in the ORC could stay calm and have a good sleep, or maybe he couldn't picture people like Kiba and Koneko to break their tempers by biting the nails in the corner of the room.

 _Nonono, that's just plain impossible even for them._

"Issei-san."

Then he felt it. His hand was pulled, wrapped tightly by the girl's as she leaned to him. Her smile, gentle and her gaze clear like a star charts in the darkest night.

"I believe in Issei-san and everyone. I'm sure we will win." Asia said. "Because, I know that Issei-san tried his best, just like Buchou-san, Akeno-senpai, Kiba-san as well as Koneko-chan did. I'm sure your efforts will be rewarded."

The former nun said it without holding back, without a reason to hesitate, and without any chance to lie. The girl who barely knew the world, was forsaken by it and revived into a Devil. A kind maiden who should have been given all the happiness in the world...

"Besides," Asia added, "Sieg-san even helped us too. I'm sure it will work out fine!"

The boy mellowed. As he heard those words, he was reminded by a promise he made; a vow between men. _T_ _hat's right..._

"Ah. We're going to win against them, Asia-chan!" Issei exclaimed with a grin, exchanging smiles with his closest friend.

After a short banter, the two parted ways, Issei going straight to his room as darkness prevailed. Only the moonlight that penetrated the curtains allowed him to see and he walked... then stopped in front of the windows. The boy clenched his fists tightly, raising his left knuckle parallel to his sight. Taking a deep breath, his sorted mind allowed one decision to fall and roll off his tongue.

"Hmph! There's no way I'm going to let that fried chicken bastard steals Buchou!"

 _[That's the way you're supposed to act from the start, Host.]_

 _Eh?!_ Issei did a double take right at once, probing the dark room yet finding nothing! _Who?! What was that!?_

 _[Idiot. You were looking at me earlier, my Host. I'm right here.]_

A deep throbbing came from his chest, followed by the slight pain crawling over his left arm. Issei hurled as everything shifted. Color, senses, awareness...

Then his world was plunged into the blazing realm where a green-eyed red Dragon resided in.

* * *

It was late at night past midnight. Under the local clock, the time would be near two in the morning.

"A perfect time to try this... huh?" I inspected a piece in my hand after overlooking the scene before my eyes.

There on the floor was a hexagram on a circle. The color was deep red and a certain scent usually toxic to ordinary humans permeated faintly in the air, proof that the materials needed to enchant the magic circle still meant harm to the mundane side of the world.

"Soon," I murmured as I sensed the swirling, invisible yet powerful shift of prana in the atmosphere. "This is my only chance..."

I might have gone crazy to even think of coming up with this method. As much as I wished to help, to even rely on this accursed ritual of the Moonlit World meant I was beginning to adapt to the cruelty done by the Magi who created me and my brethren. I didn't even know if I could grant a portion of my little yearning relief by doing this either, as I have no proof whether or not I would succeed.

Even so, there were too many reasons not to investigate the Truth.

This left hand of mine bore the magical sigils exclusive to a war, the vilest of all wars throughout history. With Command Spells carved on this body even though I am no longer a Homunculus nor a Magus meant an irregularity existed. A factor that was important enough to halt my deep hatred over Magecraft. And that factor was a singular object often vied by many who pursued the Akashic Records even if they have to sacrifice the stability of the world for it.

" _The Holy Grail is here._ Somewhere... out there." I muttered as the magic circle glowed softly, red melded into the shadows that covered the interiors of the church.

I closed my hands, feeling nervousness reigning my entire existence. How long have I lived only to see the same thing? How much time had passed ever since those chaotic days filled with death, battles between myths and miraculous coincidences? How much efforts do I need to truly overcome my fate as one who plundered the Greater Grail for a very selfish reason?

" _It matters not._ " I stated calmly, facing the magic circle that I learned from the study of the former Master of Berserker of Black.

If I am allowed to do what I wished to, then let the path I chose be granted to me. If I truly am involved with this, then I too shall abide my fate; once again prevailing against it. And if I were the one who ended one Great War...

"Then I too shall end this new war with my own hands, _even if I have to return to the eternal embrace of solitude._ " I announced.

I extended my left hand forward, dropping the silvery-blue Piece on the center of the hexagram. _The Rider-Class Piece._ Red light flashed brighter as I swallowed the lump in my throat, resolving myself for the final step of the procedure.

"Existing within the domain of the System. The right (Command Spells of a Master) to participate. A summoning ritual. A catalyst. And... an incantation performed during the moment where the leyline produced prana at the highest peak."

And so a hammer was fired inside my mind. Circuits flared to life, od surged forth from the furnace which was my soul (Magic Core) as prana flowed from myself, connecting with the summoning system in front of me.

 _"Let silver and steel be the essence._  
 _Let stone and the archduke of contracts be the foundation._  
 _Let rise a wall against the wind that shall fall._  
 _Let the four cardinal gates close._  
 _Let the three-forked road from the crown reaching unto the Kingdom rotate."_

A method imitated by humans to perform miracle. A miniaturized mechanism once built by the World to defend itself from the greatest, unexpected cataclysms.

 _"Let it be declared now;_  
 _your flesh shall serve under me, and my fate shall be with your sword._  
 _Submit to the beckoning of the Holy Grail._  
 _Answer, if you would submit to this will and this truth."_

Seven Classes. Seven Servants. Seven Magi. Seven Masters. Fourteen participants in total; a great ritual founded in order to reach the Root and to be granted a wish nobody could ever grant.

 _"An oath shall be sworn here._  
 _I shall attain all virtues of all of Heaven;_  
 _I shall have dominion over all evils of all of Hell."_

A malicious ritual that required the souls of the fallen for the sake of obtaining miracles. A war that would never stop as long as humanity's greed continued to grow. A mad War I will dive in, together with a powerful familiar renowned as a figure of legend - _a Heroic Spirit._

 _"From the Seventh Heaven, attended to by three great words of power, come forth from the ring of restraint, protector of the holy balance!"_

Once again, I will stop it. _We_ will end it, this war where order and chaos clashed. This war where the boundary between ideal and reality blurred.

A chaotic War where I was born in.

* * *

And so dawn rose up, signing the end of the night and the beginning of the day.

For everyone, they would face their own problems, their own responsibilities, and their own futures. Even as life continued on, and as the day turned to dusk... there were still those who mulled over their paths, wondering what choices they needed to pick for the sake of a conclusion they wanted, be it consciously or unconsciously.

Among them, I was at a terrible loss. After all-

"Yo, Sieg! Nice to see ya again! Just on time!" So said Issei who cheerfully waved his hand.

I nodded in reply, albeit slower in the uptake that it caused one Asia Argento to tilt her head while in the midst of conversing with other Gremory's Peerage members.

"Sieg-san, is something the matter?" She asked innocently.

But to me, _especially for a fool like me..._ it took all of my efforts not to peer straight at her curious emerald eyes. Guilt budding as I covered my awkward silence with a set of prepared answer.

"I... am fine. Thank you."

"...Sieg-san? You don't look so good at all."

I paused. I alternated a glance at Issei then back at Argento.

I blatantly sighed, "Actually, I made a little mess during my... recent housekeeping. It troubled me to no end."

 _What the heck_ , so asked the blank-faced Sekiryuutei. I too wanted to say the same thing or at least retort to that question but I had no energy to spare. Not after I nearly drained off my Magic Core for the useless deed I have done last night.

"Issei! Asia-chan! We're going to review our plan again!" There resounded Rias Gremory's calling.

Issei turned around before running off "Got it, Buchou! Well, see ya soon Sieg! Let's go, Asia-chan!"

"Un!" The nun followed.

...Now... I was left in the dust, only staring as the Devils flocked together in order to brace their selves against another Peerage. I sighed while staring from the outer rim of the sports field, feeling incredibly guilty and disappointed. To myself in particular too.

"Oh, there you are, Sieg-kun. We've been searching for you."

I raised my brows after I spun my heels for forty-five degrees, meeting the gaze of one Sona Sitri as well as Grayfia the maid.

"Come this way. I have obtained permission to allow you to spectate the Rating Game," Sitri-san urged me, "Since Grayfia is the referee, we can oversee the match along with her."

...even though her voice was stoic, and her gaze was calm... That... that smile... don't tell me she found out _That_...?

"Also, I just heard from 'a close neighbor' that the abandoned church in this town _turned into a rubble as if a meteorite fell upon it._ I'd _love_ to hear the specific details since you mentioned it before, _Sieg-kun._ "

...ah. So she has already heard of _It._ Looks like my luck truly is affected by Fafnir's curse.

* * *

"Let me get this straight. You tried to summon a familiar... and the magic circle went haywire, resulting in an overload state that quickly became a small-scale magical explosion due to the extreme distortion?"

I silently nodded. Since the summoning circle was made from combination of chemicals like mercury, I didn't doubt someone like Sitri-san to investigate the sudden crumbling of my lodging place. Even though she were a Devil, the decrepit church no longer held the appropriate status to protect its sanctity. Above all, I didn't build a bounded field around the church's perimeter, meaning nothing would affect her Peerage to comb the area over and over again.

Truly, nothing good will ever come out by involving oneself with Magecraft and I still lied through my teeth since the failure happened because I felt _a slight reaction_ which I tried to recreate by opening up the pathway with two-third of my prana reserves. Obviously, my idiotic desperation caused me to pay it dearly by losing my sole lodging place. Also a major failure since I can no longer use the leyline under the church.

"Sieg-kun... let me ask you, have you ever been under the tutelage of a Magician?" Pressing a hand on her forehead, Sitri-san asked a truly delicate question.

"I... never tried to learn?" I tilted my head, hoping my harmless remark would allow me to be granted some form of leeway.

Sitri-san blanched, "Yes. Now I see. Truly, your... recklessness is... beyond my expectations."

I didn't know why but I had a feeling the girl wanted to insult me with harsh words. To think she'd stay on being considerate... I have once again seen you in a different light, Sitri-san.

"Sieg-sama, I believe that using magic without supervision is a dangerous task even if you have a Sacred Gear capable of nullifying magical elements." Grayfia chided me.

I promptly hung down my head. It would have been fine to hear one person scolding me but two? I have too much experience as the receiving end in such case. Rider and Ruler always disliked it whenever I went to the frontline and used my Command Spells to be a temporary Servant.

"...ah, un. I'll try to find another way then." I muttered, half out of getting fed up and half due to impatience in finding a way to break the terse flow.

Shifting my eyes, I surveyed the area below. Because we were now situated high above the sky, standing on a levitating magic circle that for some reasons, had two chairs and a small table complete with a tea set. In these two chairs were I and Sitri, while the referee of the Rating Game stood at the edge of the magic circle and looking down on the sports field. A boundary field was already erected to ensure no ordinary person be caught up by the battle and all students, teachers, as well as staffs were already confirmed out of the area.

"...I must say, Devil's magics are convenient." I expressed my honest opinion.

The dense prana in the atmosphere, added with knowledge exclusive to those who live in this age caused the effect of thaumaturgy multiplied by a hundred times if not thousands. The inhabitants of the Moonlit World still having their Mysteries also caused flying spells and levitating magic circle to have their maximum outputs in a stable manner. But what intrigued me the most was due to how most Greater Mysteries still at work even though the Common Age had arrived.

Most probably, it all stemmed from the absence of Collective Wills like Gaia or Alaya, thus shifting the path of magical civilization in a different direction compared to my dimension.

Here, the world remained housing two sides of the same coin. The mundane side and the Moonlit World, all in their glory, both cohabiting the same realm with a thin boundary separating the two from destroying each other permanently. Secrecy remained as the cardinal code of the supernatural but it was all due to the unspoken as well as spoken rules similar to how problems birthed by magic must be dealt with by the same magic; a proof of law of equivalent exchange.

"So this is how it feels, to see a different Fate with my own eyes." I softly murmured as I sipped the tea steadily. "Well? Sitri-san, what do you think of the upcoming match?"

The bobbed-haired girl sitting next to me hummed, "Since Rias accepted my small assistance, the match will be on a slightly even ground."

"'Slightly?'" I reiterated, catching the hint she spread among her words.

The High-class Devil smirked a little. She looked like she was being challenged and she nodded firmly.

"Yes," Sitri stalled, "Rias' chance in winning is 50-50 if she planned it thoroughly, but I doubt she will take my advice kindly. She's not one who liked to dismiss her pride so easily."

"I understand. Her honor would not allow her to simply crush the enemy with underhanded tactic." I recalled while watching the two sides selecting their bases.

"But if she accepted my help and listened to your words, Sieg-kun, I believe the odds are going to go against the enemy, even if only for a bit."

The Gremory's base was located at the ORC building, one that was covered with dense woods, bushes and shaded spots to allow guerilla tactics. Meanwhile, the Phoenix's situated themselves in the main school building, one that was well-guarded with its structures and advantages for ambush within.

But...

"...Why would that Impostor stand at the school rooftop?" I pointed out.

"That's..." Sitri-san seemed to have a hard time to answer. Nonetheless, she did anyway even if with utter loathing, "Raiser is known with his... arrogance. He is always certain that nobody can defeat an immortal like him, and he generally looked down upon his opponents below his standing."

"Because he can regenerate continuously as long as his will persisted?" I asked before frowning. "That is very foolish."

"Yes. I have to agree in that front, Sieg-kun. Being an immortal doesn't mean you are guaranteed to win. This problem is unfortunately shared by many of the current young Devils." The girl nearly exasperated.

She readjusted the frame of her glasses, they glinted as she hid the fiery light in her eyes. I stared at her profile, then silently looked back down. The silence was more than enough for me to acknowledge a few aspects of the girl and soon after, Grayfia raised her hand; a small magic circle appearing on her palm.

"Hereby, Rating Game between Raiser Phoenix and Rias Gremory will begin. The time limit is two hours. No killing is allowed. The condition of defeat is when one is incapacitated, knocked out of consciousness, or admitting defeat. Should a Pawn reaches the enemy territory, a one-time [Promotion] is permitted. Also, only two Phoenix Tears are allowed to be used in this match. Strict penalty to instant disqualification will be given should one side violate the aforementioned rules. Am I understood?"

The silence coming from the smaller magic circle seemed to give out the intended purpose as Grayfia navigated her next step as a referee.

"Then, as the Queen of Sirzechs Lucifer, as well as the referee of this Rating Game - I announce the match begins now!"

* * *

"Buchou, we're off then." Issei exclaimed, his Boosted Gear activated.

In front of the old school building now used for the ORC activity and base of the Gremory, every member had heard of the announcement and setting up to act according to their given roles. He himself chose to spearhead from the front together with Kiba, while the others excluding Koneko opted to take a detour and weed out the enemy from behind.

"...not fair." The white-haired Rook commented, a clear distaste marring her usually cold face.

Both Issei and Kiba smiled wryly. It was decided that the Rook was to be the keeper of the base to prevent the other side's Pawn from Promoting. Considering the nature of the Rating Game which mimicked chess game, it was obvious that the wild cards could never be underestimated, especially moves such as [Castling] and [Promotion] could be used.

Issei decided to cheer her up, "It's okay, Koneko-chan! You're going to join in halfway so I'll dish out the strong ones to you!"

"...shameless." The Rook pouted with a freezing glare.

"Well sorry for being a lowly Pawn then! I'm not going to last long if I don't get my Promotion!" The boy confessed.

"Now now. Issei-kun, you can endure fighting against Akeno-senpai and I for three minutes so maybe you can do better." Kiba quipped.

 _Geh_ , Issei spat out. The atmosphere was certainly lively even though they were about to experience firsthand what Rating Game and real combat was. It was different since it pitted strategy, quality, numbers and all sorts of things the boy could not understand. Ah, I need to study more later...

"I leave the frontline to you, Issei, Kiba." Rias stated as she expanded her wings, followed by her Bishop and Queen.

"Leave it to us, Buchou!" Issei pounded his chest.

"Your will be done, Milady." Kiba bowed gracefully.

"Take care, Issei-san! Kiba-san!" Asia waved her hand.

And then everyone split into different directions. Kiba lightly went through the woods with Issei following closely behind. They were heading straight toward the sports field separating their base with the enemy's base.

"Can you do it, Issei-kun?" The Knight for some reasons taunted. "Try to keep up with my speed."

"Heh! You tell me that now, Handsome!" The Pawn replied, his Sacred Gear's emerald jewel flashing a radiant glow.

[BOOST!]

Then the two became blurs speeding straight to the center of the sports field. They could have reached the base even faster than scheduled but whenever things could go wrong...

"Your advance ends here, Gremory!"

A confident-looking girl in armor descended, her hand wielding a sword and a dagger was sheathed at her waist, followed after by a zweihander user, a kimono-wearing girl plus one blonde little girl in frilly dress. Ah, there's also a twin wearing skimpy sailor uniform and they have cat ears!

"To think they didn't use the shortcut... we'll have to readjust then." The blonde muttered. "Maybe let the rest surround these two?"

"I have no qualm." The zweihander wielder said.

"If I can, I would like to at least take out the Knight first." The armored girl stated.

Glancing to the side, Kiba nodded and drew out his demonic sword, the Holy Eraser. It still looked ominous but-

"Issei-kun, do you want to have a small contest?" The Knight asked.

 _Oh?_

"Who defeats the most before the other win."

Issei snorted, amused, "Well, isn't that simple?!"

[BOOST!]

* * *

"Hoh... looks like they are outmatched by numbers." I expressed my honest thought.

Sitri nodded gravely, "The most unfortunate matter is how Raiser possessed a full Peerage where all of the Pieces are filled in. They're also quite formidable if..."

"Why are all of them female?" I interjected.

And it seemed likely that I have hit the sore spot. Judging from the Heiress of Sitri's cramped face, she must have no idea how to explain it... or she just plain hated in reiterating it. Yes, I can certainly see her holding back due to the excessive information she obtained.

After all, there are good and bad information out there.

"Raiser-sama is famous for gathering attractive young women depending on their 'types.'" Grayfia chimed in even though she was still observing the match.

I tilted my head, "Types? Is he treating them as collections?"

"As a matter of fact... _yes._ He established... a Harem." Sitri added, but her finger that pushed the frame of her glasses was trembling heavily.

Is she... angry? Disappointed? Or is that plain disgust? Uhm, I'm not so sure of what to say about this. A Harem...

"What is a Harem?" I asked, clearly confused by the foreign terminology being used on me.

The High-class Devil nearly fell over the chair had she not controlled herself at the very end. Struggling to control her breaths, she faced me with red cheeks and scowling lips.

"Sieg-kun... are you making fun of me...?" She asked as if she was trying her best from lashing out.

I once again tilted my head, "I do not know what a Harem is, but is that a term used when one collected a group of people?"

Now she looked as if she was seeing the strangest wonder of life. I stared at her, finding no movement was made save for her breathing intervals. Did she... freeze up?

"Sieg-sama, a Harem consisted of a person surrounded by people of the opposite sex who are attracted to him. The following relationships could range from sexual to romantic or perhaps platonic but most fell in the previous two categories." Grayfia supplied me with a stack of wisdom again.

I nodded, slowly comprehending the information I received. A Harem... so it's a practice in having relationships. Perhaps I should call it a unique type of bonds shared within a group. Although I find it hard to comprehend for many women vying for the attention of one man... but could it also work in the other way?

Hm... somehow, I found the notion unappealing. I wonder why? Oh, to begin with...

"So there's a relationship built by sexual interactions?" I asked again and this time, I saw something ridiculous.

Ah, no. I think I've seen this before. Saber once spat out her drink thinking it was a high-grade wine. It unfortunately sprayed on Rider and the poor Servant was subsequently carried off by Ruler to have a change of clothes... In women's bathroom.

Chaos was the epitome of the scene that quickly followed. Also, Saber was annoyingly noisy when she laughed.

"Only this time, it's your turn to do it, huh, _Sitri-san._ "

The young Devil allegedly 18 years old stared daggers at me right in that instance. Ah... yet again, this is a nostalgic experience. A tremendous amount of murderous intent... promising hell even hotter than being burned alive at a stake.

 _"3 of Raiser Phoenix's Pawns have retired."_

Huh? I looked back at Grayfia, hoping I did not mishear what was announced throughout the bounded field. But the surprise did not stop as she followed with an eerily static intonation.

"Raiser Phoenix's Rook has retired. _Rias Gremory's Bishop has retired._ Raiser's _Queen and Pawn_ have retired."

With every word came thunderous roar of lightnings. Along with the sounds of explosions starting at a hemisphere-roofed building, the environmental damages quickly crawled to a field barred with tall fences and then to a pool. Golden lightnings rained down, shrieks and screams echoed while spheres that made my skin to shudder scattered like a barrage of enchanted arrows let loose by Archer of Red.

"What..." Was the sole response of the girl sitting near me, separated only by a small knee-high round table. "Grayfia, can you tell me who defeated who?!"

She quickly stood up from her seat and rushed to the overseer of the Rating Game.

"Rias-sama and Akeno-sama plowed into the gym building from above, catching three of Raiser-sama's Pawns off-guards before proceeding to annihilate them all with a combined attack. A Rook was in hiding but she was discovered by Rias-sama's Bishop who lured her in to Akeno-sama's attack range. After that, Raiser-sama's Queen and Pawn launched surprise attack which hit Rias-sama's Bishop who suddenly cut her way in, allowing enough momentum for another combined attack to strike cleanly." Grayfia dutifully explained even while observing the match with fixated eyes.

...what...? I listened, I swallowed a lump in my throat as I imagined the situation replaying in my mind. The method the Gremory used to ambush was direct; a full-blown Blitzkrieg tactic. But the latter part of the flow suddenly changed as the crimson-haired King brought forward her Bishop to lure the enemy's rook out, thus swiping her out of the grid.

What astounded me was not the strategy that easily defeated nearly half of the enemy forces, but _the risk,_ the stake put up for the reckless plan to be done. And the most important role was how Gremory _used_ Argento _as a bait_ , fully knowing how despite being a healer, the young Bishop held no combat potential. She used her as a lure to pull out the hidden enemy, _but also_ as a shield after recognizing the enemy's sneak attack.

In other words... she had cast aside her own Peerage to achieve victory; a sacrificial move meant to allow her best members to keep their combat potentials at full strength. An extremely efficient tactic without honor nor pride.

"...how did she... Is that truly Rias...?" Sitri gawked as she stepped forward, and stared down as if her life depended on it.

That face. That change of expression. That glint in her eyes... the girl before me seemed to have drowned in her own world. A world where she measured every step to take while devoting her entire existence in calculating everything, even the future.

I didn't miss her savage smirk, however. It seemed that out there, the quick-witted Devil's equal is growing up steadfastly.

* * *

"Asia-chan... was..."

There was a resounding silence in the sports field. The fast battle outside of everyone's reach made clear the impact it gave to both the Gremory and the Phoenix camps. While the enemy had lost the majority of their Pawns and a Rook, the fact that the Queen was also taken out without receiving serious casualty meant many things for the Gremory.

However, to Issei Hyoudou, it was devastation that claimed him.

"Issei-kun." A strong, almost cold and deep voice unlike one let out by a certain Knight snapped him back from his thoughts. "Asia-chan knew the risks well. I'm sure she has prepared herself well."

The brown-haired boy stared at the Knight. He wanted to lash out. He wanted to shout in rage. How could he calmly say such things?!

But Issei soon noticed the hands holding the demonic sword hilt were pure white, and nearing blue.

"Kiba, you..."

"Remember, Issei-kun. We have our own goal to achieve. But for us... our King's happiness rests atop everything."

The Knight solemnly stared at his enemy, a fellow Knight. Meanwhile, behind Issei were two Bishops and another Knight. They were getting nervous, especially the frill-dressed blonde.

Then, Kiba Yuuto hammered the last nail in, "Asia-chan has done so much for us. Isn't it a given that we will show her victory?"

Something flared within him. Within his head, a cackle seemed to have agreed in the thought. It was loud, seriously, but...

"...ah. Of course." Issei slowly nodded as he put on his fighting stance. "Then we'll get a little serious here, Kiba."

"A little?" The Knight raised an eyebrow, a whimsical smirk painted on his face, "Sure you will, Issei-kun."

Suddenly, the two boys retreated. The zweihander user, Sieris hastily pursued Issei but-

[BOOST!]

With the fourth multiplication of physical enhancement, the boy slipped off her range barely, only carving a slight cut over his school shirts.

"Kh...! Mihae, support Sieris quickly! That Pawn is dangerous!" Ravel Phoenix issued orders. "Ni, Li! Restrict him!"

Instantly, the twin rushed forward. Their speed didn't outdo the Knight but they were soon looming in and reached Issei.

"Gh...!" The boy braced himself by crossing his arms in front of him as an attempt to block.

"Go down now!" Ni exclaimed as she hammered a hook that shattered his defense.

Issei floated, then planted his feet strongly, his body sliding but his stance did not crumble completely. He avoided a jab, thrown a counter punch which sent one of the Pawns reeling in pain. However, the Bishop launched a barrage of Magic Missiles that Issei desperately avoided only to be trapped in the smokes.

"What?! Where is - gyah!?"

In his carelessness, a leg swept in and struck him from the side. Issei spat out the air in his lung while flying to the left, exiting the veils of smokes only to close in to where a certain Knight raised her zweihander over the head.

"This will finish you off...!"

"Issei-kun!"

A streak of black shadow flew across the field. The hurled Issei glimpsed at it, forcing a smirk out as he, the object and the zweihander came to a collision point.

[DRAGON BOOSTER!]

A flash of light burst out in the sports field. Followed by the sounds of impact, the sounds of shattering irons which was a demonic sword above Sieris and the sound of dull crashes that pounded the ground several times...

"Hah! He's down, yay!" Li laughed as she pumped a fist upward.

The boy lied on the ground unmoving. His form was nothing but a bloody mess and judging from the wounds, he barely avoided the fatal strike.

"Now it's over for you as well, Gremory's Knight..." Ravel stated haughtily.

All eyes shifted their attentions to him. The blond gentleman dancing with Carlamaine shifted his gaze slightly...

"Well, you certainly did it, _Issei-kun._ "

* * *

From afar, it would have been hard to see the battle closely. Grayfia said she had the equipment to allow distant projection of the battle and she also said she was viewing this to her King, the Prince of Lies Lucifer. But none of us here were humans, while I was born with exceptional Magic Circuits and having invented a unique thaumaturgy in altering the structures of objects from their base particles in matter of seconds.

So yes, I could alter my sensory organs to see from afar. Since my body was no longer one of a Homunculus, the repercussions could also be toned down by a great deal. That's why...

"He stood up," Sitri murmured in disbelief, "I can't believe he could still stand with all the injuries."

I nodded down, "The rule stated that defeat of participant is only when one is knocked out of consciousness, or yielding by their own wills. Issei certainly has not been knocked out."

Especially after he heard the announcement of Argento's defeat. I could see a sudden shift in his bearing that it was so subtle I nearly missed it.

That change... it must be related to his Sacred Gear. Could it be the Welsh Dragon has awakened...? The scent of the Heavenly Dragon certainly have grown thicker than before.

"Although... it seemed you have missed Issei laying his hands on the three enemies." I inserted an afterthought.

The Heiress of Sitri looked back, muttering an offhand 'Eh?' in bewilderment.

" _I... got... you all...! Take this, my ultimate skill...!_ "

From afar, the wounded Pawn raised his Sacred Gear as if denying the heaven's mandate to fall... and with a wide grin, he shouted.

 _"DRESS BREAK!"_

What happened next was simple. The clothing of the twin Pawns and the zweihander-wielding Knight were _shredded completely._

"...huh?"

* * *

Ravel had mixed feelings when she heard of this Rating Game. No, she was glad to help her older brother, fetishistic pervert he may be. But when she heard of the reason behind it, her thoughts went conflicted.

 _Someone said she must not abuse her authority or she would suffer in the same way someday._

 _But another person abused his authority, believing that he had all the right in the world to judge the value of other people, be it their life, death or free will._

Now the little Ravel realized what arrogance was. It was destructive, self-degrading and discriminating. Seeing the dirty looks her older brother showed as he anticipated 'a new addition' to his collection made her stomach churning, her eyes inevitably averting as a small seed of doubt budded in her heart.

 _Did I... truly look like that? Showing such an ugly appearance so openly..._

However, as a Bishop and as a tactician, she had priorities. A pride she carried by fighting as one representing the Phoenix clan. Setting aside her feelings, she carried out her duty while trying to at least minimize the haughtiness she recognized as a weakness in her tactic. She had studied the enemy's home advantage but all she knew about the Gremory's Peerage were through words and written evidence alone.

 _And yet Onii-sama believed he could overwhelm them in minutes._

Ravel wanted to rub her temple to avoid the incoming headache but she was a proud pure Devil. It wouldn't do her house any good if others could see through her weak points at any given time. So, maintaining her dignity, she squashed her apprehension against the unknown and observed...

 _Only to see her plan all crashing down in a matter of seconds._

For the lack of better words... all that transpired was something nobody could ever expect, save the Gremory Peerage who knew all too well what Issei Hyoudou had under his sleeve. But to be honest?

 _What kind of madness is this?!_

"Muahahahahahaaaaaaaaa! Feel the power of my desires given form! This! Is the skill developed secretly _just in case_ I'm fighting bishoujos like you all!" The perverted Pawn exclaimed as he withdrew his left arm and pumped his fist triumphantly.

Even Ravel was ghastly pale in shock. Aside the extremely perverted nature of the technique, she could not comprehend it! The skill he executed could not be seen at all! How could he just pass through the defensive enchantments on the clothes and tore them apart without touching?!

 _...wait. 'Touching'...? C-could it be...!_

* * *

"I see... so the magic circle he placed on them served as a receiver of the actual spell." I muttered in awe.

How could I not be? The feat Issei had done was by nature, a type of thaumaturgy capable of breaching any sort of personal defense a Magus could carry. Be it bounded field, Mystic Code or even some lower-tier Noble Phantasm... I was quite certain the boy had done something nearing True Magic in practicality.

Although I'm incredibly baffled that he has no shame in stripping women nude like that. He even _smiled_ from ear-to-ear that I almost believed Celenike, the sadistic, twisted and incredibly perverted former Master of Rider of Black had returned from beyond her grave. Dear Gaia, what had just transpired me to recall the image of _that_ woman of everyone that I knew?

"Hold on... Sieg-kun... did you witness it all?" Sitri stalled, fidgeting as her eyebrows twitched, "What... happened?"

I raised an eyebrow as I gazed at her for a bit. She certainly gave out questions due to genuine curiosity, even if it was filled with a sense of embarrassment and irritation.

Well, I will always help friends in need. I too acknowledged Sitri-san as someone who earned my heartfelt respect.

Thus I explained, "During the fierce struggle, Issei actually used the moment he received blows by touching a body part of his enemy. The Pawn who punched and broke his defense was touched when her fist contacted his arms, another was when the sweeping kick occurred, and the last one... he grabbed a thrown sword, used it to take the recoil of being hit by the zweihander before being flung away by the reduced impact that allowed him to touch the Knight in the process."

The Devil now had an utterly blank face.

"That's... that's the most reckless, insane and suicidal tactic anyone could come up with." She finally said.

"But it's effective. The enemy would hardly notice the spell in the heat of battles, and the result allowed a worthwhile amount of time for distraction." I shrugged. "Though I find it baffling how he could time it all right-"

 _[Boosted Gear Second Liberation!]_

 _"Now, Kibaaaaaaa! Release your swords!"_

 _"Got it! Sword Birth...!"_

 _"Aw yeah! Boosted Gear GIFT!"_

 _[TRANSFER!]_

Just when I said that, the opportunity was effectively used by the duo. Issei shot a green emerald energy bullet to Yuuto precisely when swords protruded from the ground. With the sound as if two metals clashed in resonance, the Knight and his swords were cloaked in the light which suddenly increased the rate of Prana he generated explosively. In the next moment, the sports field were ravaged by countless demonic swords that stabbed through nearly all of Raiser's remaining Peerage members.

"2 of Raiser Phoenix's Knights have retired. 2 of Raiser Phoenix's Pawns have retired. Raiser Phoenix's Bishop has retired." Grayfia reported steadily.

The enchantment... was applied to another person? And it affected the Sacred Gear of someone else? Looks like it's another new ability. Issei certainly had a way in planning this out. He also didn't stop showing off his tricks in succession to cast an illusion of having even more aces under his sleeves. And the last Bishop...

"Ah. It seems we missed out once again." I grimly muttered to myself.

I knew the hair color and dress were familiar, but I couldn't put up a thought in linking the pieces together, at least not when there are so many people moving about in the school area. But perhaps due to my ignorance, I didn't notice that the girl resembled the Impostor in a certain way. It made me wondering why would she be out there, and what she intended to do now that only she remained in the open field.

Oh, Yuuto trapped her in a cage made from swords. The girl spread her wings, a pair of blazing wings but...

 _"Cold?!"_ Ravel Phoenix shrieked when the swords hummed before pouring water continuously on her.

Even when she tried to light up her flame again, one of the swords glowed and emanates a mist of frozen diamond dust that offsets the magical flame. The coldness doubled as the demonic swords took turns in draining the flame, reducing the temperature in the air by taking off the heat, and blew cold winds on her.

The process almost went on automatically. But...

"Elemental demonic swords..." I uttered after recognizing the nature of the swords. "Not only can Yuuto project a sword that can absorb divine element, but also flame element? Could there be other types as well? Such a convenient Sacred Gear..."

I could identify them with Structural Analysis. One sword was capable of nullifying divine element, another could emit shards of ice, another to unleash a large water body, yet another vacuumed the heat in the air. They didn't look like powerful Noble Phantasms but they probably ranked as high-grade specialized Mystic Codes or Conceptual Weapons.

And if used right, sealing a Phoenix renowned with their extremely hot flame and regeneration rate was entirely possible.

"...indeed... a very imaginative way in using Sacred Gears." Sitri-san interjected.

I glanced at her.

"It seems even you do not know that ability. Sitri-san, is there something I haven't known about Sacred Gear?" I asked.

The girl pushed the frame of her glasses, "Not much could be said other than it being a system devised by God that randomly linked a newborn human soul with the Sacred Gear. It was said the system was meant to protect humanity from us Devils and Fallen Angels, but..."

Heaving her shoulders, the Heiress of Sitri observed the match with critical eyes, particularly gazing on the duo Pawn and Knight of her childhood friend.

"While I do not think much of it, there's a saying that Sacred Gears will respond and evolve in accordance to their user's desires. If they willed it strong enough, the device will grant a new power... though I wouldn't want the first ability Hyoudou just showed no matter how effective it could be."

Hoh... if that is so, then every Sacred Gear in existence is tailored personally, and would grow differently depending on their wielder. Such a fascinating system crafted by the likes of God... but I also found it disturbing since if the desire was crooked, only disaster would occur. I wonder if the God calculated the possibility of these Sacred Gear wielders going against his intention in keeping humanity safe.

"3 of Raiser Phoenix's Pawns have retired. Raiser Phoenix's Rook has retired." Then another report was delivered after several sparks of lightning scattered near the school building.

Hm, it seemed the match has reached the last spurt. The Gremory all gathered in front of the school building minus their Bishop. It seemed the Rook had joined with her King and Queen while I was watching the duo's fight. But with Issei in tattered state, Yuuto keeping the last Bishop in place, their only healer Argento defeated and the King-Queen pair taking a long detour to further eliminate bad roots... Only the Rook was at full strength.

"How will you defeat an imitation of a Phantasmal Beast, now?" I asked nobody in particular.

* * *

"Buchou, if it gets dangerous, can I do something reckless?" Issei asked.

" _Reckless,_ you said...? Aren't you already doing that for a while now, Issei-kun?" Akeno pressed a hand on her cheek as she showed a troubled look.

That expression applied to the rest of the Gremory's entourage. Even the stoic Koneko was giving a downtrodden gaze at the sorry state the Pawn was in. But the boy grinned childishly, and pounded his chest.

"Heh he...! I still have a secret move after this so if I can have a Promotion, it'll be a breeze!" Issei stated while rubbing his head as if embarrassed due to a shower of compliments.

"Is it another perverted move?" Koneko frowned with clear distaste over the scene in the sports field. "...maniac criminal."

The boy buckled in anguish, "Guh...! A-as expected of Koneko-chan..."

The white Rook backed away in disgust.

"No...! I'm sorry okay so please don't step back as if I'm a plague! It can't be helped you know?! I'm a teenage boy with healthy sexual drive you know!? Isn't this normal!?" Issei tried his very best to defend his actions which were clearly already bordered to high-level sexual harassment.

"Maa, no normal boy in puberty would learn a spell in stripping bare women by nary a touch." Rias put out an input.

Issei crashed down in despair. The King and Queen chuckled at the sorry sight but the former clasped her hands clearly.

"Well, Issei-kun has been incredibly helpful so I'll believe in you. Now why don't we face the King of Phoenix?"

The Pawn gathered up his strength again, pounding a fist on his palm, he nodded with determined face.

"Ou, Buchou! [Promotion]! [Queen]!" Issei exclaimed, soon feeling his base strength increased by folds due to the unique effect of [Promotion], even though it was temporary and only lasted until the match ended.

The last three combatants ascended to the rooftop. During the seemingly short yet long process, various thoughts swirled in mind. Worries, nervousness, fear... but there were also excitement, anticipation and hope. _Even if it's a small hope... we can win this!_

"Raiser Phoenix!" Rias exclaimed when her group reached the rooftop of Kuoh Academy.

But what greeted her was a lump of fire. Someone shouted out and when she blinked, Issei had already covered her with his entire body.

"Ngrrah...!" He bit down a pained groan.

 _"So you still survived, you half-dead miscreant pest!"_

There, spreading his blazing flames was a High-class Devil. Descending down but still high enough to look down on his enemy, one furious Raiser Phoenix glared down with clear murderous intent.

"You dared...! You dared to humiliate this me with all those stupid stunts! I'll kill you! I will make you suffer a torture nothing could compare, you Reincarnated Devil!" He shouted and pulled off a tirade of swearings.

But the staggering Issei did not fall. He smirked, he snickered as he replied with a cold intense glare at the enemy King.

"Say that... again...? Since I got my heart gouged by a spear of light before, I'm not so sure your weak flame can compare, you fried bird bastard...!"

The provocation was taken far more serious as Raiser's expression distorted visibly.

"You! Not only that other filth, you dared to mock a Phoenix! A High-class Devil! A noble such as I, you vermin!" The man roared. "That's it! I'm going to break your limbs! I will squash you and force your eyes to watch me ravaging all the women behind you!"

"Hell no!" Issei swung his left arm to the side, "You're not getting past me, stupid Yakitori! Buchou is mine! And I won't let you touch any of my friend!"

"SHUT UP!"

The final battle abruptly started with a flurry of fireballs. The Gremory spread out in various directions as they set up a formation. Two vanguard units, Issei and Koneko; two supports, Akeno and Rias.

"Issei! Can you do that Transfer Gift again?!" Rias asked while avoiding a lump of fire similar to molten lava.

"The cool down still lasts for 3 more minutes!" Issei shrieked as he hurled himself down before getting up, only to roll to the side like an amateur he was.

The situation deteriorated even faster when pillars of flame sprouted from the ground. Raiser cursed as he rampaged, destroying the rooftop while flaunting his power as if it was limitless. _And whoa, that was a freaking close one!_

"Damn it! At this rate...!" Issei pictured the horrific future, quickly shaking it off from his head as he ran to dodge another surge of flame pillar...

Just in time to meet the gaze of a certain Rook.

" _...Koneko-chan!_ Can you do me a favor?!" Issei shouted in-between his clumsy maneuvers.

The girl simply tilted her head. Her lips moved but the roaring flame must have absorbed her voice. As he glimpsed over the haze, the nimble Rook seemed to have gained a different shade that-

 _Stop right there! She's my junior, dammit! And her chest has yet to grow! ...probably. Or is it already too late-  
_

"Ouch?!" It was when his thought wandered to that direction that a pebble hit his head from the side.

He turned his only head to see Koneko glaring back coldly. _Wait... did she just read my mind... gah, screw it all! We've got no time for this!_

"Koneko-chan, buy me two minutes!" Issei exclaimed.

And out loud he did. Raiser glared at him as he seemed to have forgotten anything other than to make the Pawn's life more miserable than the second before. Faraway at the back, even retreating to the sky due to the poor terrain disadvantage, Rias put a hand over her forehead.

"Of course you will confess your plan as loudly as you can, my dear Issei." She sighed audibly.

Akeno giggled in a sickeningly sweet voice, " _My my!_ Looks like Issei-kun needs a lot more to learn. Although..."

"Since Raiser has busied himself with my beloved juniors, let us pester him even further." Rias said before smirking, "I would like to see that poor sod tearing his hair out for once."

"As expected of the Crimson-haired Princess of Ruin~!"

Golden sparks cloaked Akeno while Power of Destruction condensed around Rias' hand. The King and Queen of Gremory Peerage adjusted their sight as their respective, trademark weapons launched out in the form of bolts of lightning and black spheres that destroyed all upon contact. Speeding faster than bullets, they lined arcs as they tried to hit, if possibly defeating the flame-winged immortal.

"Ngh...?! Rias, you dared to interrupt...!"

The Phoenix dodged just in time but it took him most of his efforts to dodge escape from the powerful unique magics his opponents specialized in. The man scowled as he flapped his wings that let loose dozens of fireballs which countered every lightning bolt and destructive sphere thrown at him. But after the barrage was dealt with, another barrage followed up to hit him squarely.

"These... cheap tricks will NOT hurt an immortal such as I!" Raiser roared as his irritation peaked up, displaying the power of his immortality even while being clouded by anger.

The sky was soon littered with explosions and streaks of colorful light. Three figures danced, flying as they engaged in long-range combat where magic beyond common sense applied to reality. It would have been hard for one to fight against a Phoenix, a member of the 72 Pillars, a clan of Devils always feared for their immortality and power over demonic flame.

But there is always a limit to anyone, and it proved to be great disadvantage since Raiser Phoenix could not look to the left while staring to the right. Also below.

"Rias!" He angrily lashed out. "You...! You dared to fight me by using numbers?! You coward excuse of a Devil!"

Usually, that comment would have ticked off the Gremory Heiress. Sure she was a Devil, but being one of the 72 Pillars meant she was burdened with great responsibility. She had honor to uphold after all yet she was wasting the chance by fighting Raiser while cooperating with Akeno and Koneko who were throwing magic and pieces of stones of the school building as if trying to drive out a pest with _utter passions._

Still, the crimson-haired Devil paused a bit before resuming her onslaught.

"My, this is a Rating Game, Raiser! A fight between two Peerages, yours and mine! Do you honestly think there's a room for a duel especially when my future is at dire risk?" Rias smiled sweetly.

The Phoenix howled, his world dyed red as he scattered fireballs blindly. Unfortunately, such aimless attacks proved effective when the numbers of his attacks overwhelmed his enemy. Quickly, the Queen of Gremory became the first to steer away as a stray shot struck her at the back and seared her bat wings-like appendages. Then a rain of fire showered the rooftop mercilessly, stopping Koneko from sending out projectiles.

 _"Rias Gremory's Rook and Queen have retired."_ Thus the result was reported throughout the bounded field.

Hearing such delightful news, Raiser laughed with a triumphant smirk.

"Now you understand! Nobody among you filthy Reincarnated Devils can ever hope to defeat me!" He shouted in glee.

But a sphere of destruction struck him in the face, and Raiser reeled back. He covered his hurting face, glaring through a gap between his fingers at his fiancee.

"RIIIIAAAAASSSS!"

The other King hovered in front of him, across him with only half a kilometer distance between them. There was promise for pain. There was an oath spoken that symbolized his distorted view of others. But instead of being scared when she's already in Raiser's target range...

Rias smiled, "Well, my dear Issei. I'm waiting now."

 _"Shiiiiiine! Over Boost!"_

[WELSH DRAGON OVERBOOSTER!]

With exclamation came the roar of a beast. With a tremendous shift in the air, all eyes were instantly rooted in the source of the pressure as if a mighty being had descended into the mortal realm.

And even if it was merely an avatar, a Transcendent Kind prevailed within the instance.

"RAAAAAAAIIIIIIIISSEEEERRRRRR!"

A red dragon - no, a Scale Mail coated unknown burst out from the smokes, his red brilliance shone within the flame haze. Two boosters were mounted on his back as a part of the scale mail that signified the symbolic appearance of a wicked dragon tail waving behind him. His eyes, covered with green emerald visor glowed with ethereal radiance along with the jewels that shone on various parts of his body.

"What...?!"

Just one glance was enough to frighten him. _What is this thing?! What is this powerful presence as if a giant was looking down on an ant!? What... what...!_

"What the hell are you...!?" The Phoenix screamed as he barraged fireballs on the miniature red dragon.

But his flight did not stop. A second passed and he streaked through the sky. Another second passed as Raiser fled back, unaware that fear had gripped his heart as the dragon loomed closer while shrugging off his attacks. Came another second as a large bombardment followed by a large orb of molten lava hitting the monster before him. Yet another second passed as a fist dove into his abdomen which blasted him to the center of the sports field.

A horrendous shriek resembling pitiful whining echoed.

"Boosted Gear Gift!"

Another exclamation echoed in the next second.

[TRANSFER!]

Raiser sent away the clouds of dirt with his wings. He looked up instinctively as the powerful presence descended like a raging god, and he was stricken with panic when a bombardment spheres of destruction _also_ water-elemental demonic swords assaulting him from various directions. They distracted him. They made him aware of the danger of being overwhelmed. He was cornered without any chance to escape!

"Taaakkeee THIIIIIISSSSS!"

A red scale gauntlet, clenched into a knuckle glowed with rainbow color light. The diving velocity of the dragon overwhelmed his reflex through the twin boosters and influence of gravity, the punch enhanced with something smelled _precisely_ like Holy Water flung down like a hammer bringing down Divine Punishment. Not even a moment passed, but the momentum brought Raiser Phoenix closest to the source of his newfound fear...

 ** _A furious Heavenly Dragon._**

"Gwaaaaaaaaaaaagggh!?"

Thus, a crater as large as meteorite drop brought an end to the Rating Game, announced by a stoic silver-haired servant who acted as the referee.

"King Raiser Phoenix has retired. _Game set._ "

* * *

 **-Author's Rambling-**

 _"I'm sorry... I have to break my promise by putting the conclusion of vol.2/Introduction Arc with the next chapter..."_

Yes, yes. Not only can I be a tad lazy and late, I'm also breaking my words in the story length but if you noticed, this chapter hosted a humongous amount of words. Exceeding 10K (content alone), it's an effing monstrous chapter. I had no choice but to split this section into two parts mainly because:

1) It will look redundant if read in slow pace and wild anticipation.

2) The Arc's pacing is going to stretch for too long and yet abrupt due to loose ends finished in haste.

3) I don't want to leave out missing details due to past stigmas.

Other than that, this chapter showcased the 'change' in Gremory. As mentioned by Sieg, Rias has huge pride and cared deeply for her Peerage but that fondness sometimes turned into a weakness, mainly her _hesitation_ to let her members in harm's way. She built up a one-hit-sure-kill plan where she could cut the possible losses by as much as possible, not one that anticipated the chance for casualty. Murphy's Law already said that anything that could go wrong would go wrong so I focused in that aspect.

The changes are also not radical. Considering the canon's plotline, I simply tried to tweak the orders of events, shuffling the flow and switching positions. What makes it fun is when I asked myself 'since A originally goes to point B, why not move it to point D or E before C could get in point B?' which opened up a lot more in a battle combining wits and strength like Rating Game. Most authors I came across with scoffed since the game is no different than child play and used same ol' reasoning 'it won't beat real combat' but disregarding synergy and tactic building completely simply disrespects the arts of warfare as a whole.

* * *

 **Reviews Answering Corner** (Patented from now onward, from back-to-back)

Eurigos: Thank you very much for your kind words

Castor115: Drakengard? Never played it. Is it another alias? All I know since I've read it is that the novels are called the Inheritance Cycle series.

Legendarydolphinman: *+1 for each mentioned Servant* That's kind of smart in using the Servant Piece but ideally, Jeanne is to be in a specific case with lots of requirement that must be cleared to not make it a la Deus ex Machina.

exiles soul: *+1 for each mentioned Servant*

T-B-R: Through reviews. I don't give a rat at the poll since I don't know how to deal with it. Haven't got any idea in how to put up one either since I'm one of those retro people.

KisaragiKei: *+1 for each mentioned Servant*

Jigentou: Good to know you like it. Now, while Sieg can certainly classify as a Servant if he transformed but... the piece is for different purpose, mainly for other System I'm currently developing in this crossover so yeah, it's for a Servant but not him.

Kroz Phantomville: Mm... Sieg has quite a gentle nature even after becoming a dragon. His mentality is also similar to a toddler in accelerated growth spurt, meaning he may 'know' a lot but doesn't 'understand' everything there is. But as a somewhat pure dragon, he technically reigns high in the dragon hierarchy but not stronger than the twin Heavenly Dragons. I chalk him up three steps behind 'former' Dragon King Tannin. Pretty sure that's already a high praise since the old dragon is a monster on his own league only handicapped by weakness against Dragon Slayer and Light element due to his nature shifting to a Devil Dragon.

RedRat8: *+1 for each mentioned Servant* Apocrypha is known to have an extremely rushed pacing. Can't say I don't understand due to the large casts huddled together yet the story ended within five volumes. A shame, really. Anyway, your suggestions are sensible and insightful. I can easily picture them doing exactly that but Karna would want another duel since he can afford a 'real' battle once in a while.

DragonXDelinquent: Umu... As a matter of fact, I began to detest Shirou after every time he committed himself to his Heroic needs, and starting to feel for Archer's cynicism to his past self. It's just... wrong. Seriously, and every time I read 'He's broken but he can't help changing his way now. Might as well drown and die in the ideal' made me to cringe to kingdom's come. Arjuna is a nice selection though I wonder what would Indra say about it. Anyway, *+1 for mentioned Servant*

Kamico-chan: *+1 for each mentioned Servant* The thing about Caster-class is because Sieg is a Homunculus, an alchemy byproduct. Even more, he's got a problem with Magecraft in general so either Iri, Paracelsus or maybe Nursery rhyme.

Victory3114: *+1 for each mentioned Servant* Take your time~ It'll be good if you enjoy it in a long run so think about it a little. Also, thanks for the encouraging words.

Suzululu4moe: 1) Someone unexpected, probably? 2)Yes, this time, Rias' luck won't save her! 3)Funny how I imagined him working in a cafe, what-with his waistcoat making Sieg like a bartender. The encounter will be a blast! And Ophis will probably probe him since Sieg is a rare breed.

Toaneo07 Ver2.0: Thank you, may you enjoy your ride~

Memento Mori - The Truth: Thank you for the words. And this particular chapter answers your wish.

DannyPhantom619: Mordred will _wreck_ the church if allowed to. Pretty sure she will go in a rampage since Excalibur symbolizes her father's glorious legacy.

Shin XIX: *+1 for mentioned Servant* Unfortunately, he hung out with the weirdest bunch of people. A holy maiden, a knight with father complex, a pervert wearing ribbon and cute dresses, a Fake Priest with messianic complex, a yandere queen, an immortal battle maniac, PTA equivalent cat-eared archer, an author with mad love over tragedies, stuck up Magi plus inner demon(or dead dragon?) haunting his every step. Now, what else should we add to the list?

Greyjedi449t: Have a joyful ride~

Thunder Dragon (ff suggestion and votes): 1)Duly noted. *+1 for mentioned Servant* 2)Quite interesting but maybe hard for me to write 3 fanfics at the same time. It will honestly break my current release schedule. Sieg sounds OP very much though... But simply hosting it is fine by me. I may check on the grammars though since I'm a bit averse to common mistakes such as 'there' with 'they're' or 'their'. SO, it's queuing in consideration list.

Thunder Dragon (Q&A): Well, I actually found it funny for a dragon to lounge on a sofa while drinking tea and reading a fantasy novel about dragon riding. For the questions...

A1)Kokabiel in disguise, duh. Watcher of the Stars is an alternative title taken straight from his official title 'Angel of the Stars' and while I used a template from the DLH, I changed it to fit the Phantasmal Beast's theme.

A2) Mordred is going to kick the Excalibits to kingdom come! They don't deserve the amazing 'glory' her father had! Also, curse those church bastards to tamper with father's sword, and failed miserably at it!

A3)As stated in one of my answers, Sieg is some steps behind Dragon King level knowing he lived in the Reverse Side of the World for a while. But again, he's unskilled in living daily life so he needs a helping hand for many times before getting it right. Hopefully, no one would ask him kindly in wanting to become a hero or there will be Shirou2.0 ruining fresh story.

Ozymandias: *+1 for mentioned Servant* I'd rather have someone else do it. Sieg doesn't deserve getting angered by the likes of Raiser. He's just too pure of an existence that I instinctively made him avoid gruesome circumstances but since this is a Fate-crossover... well, I have to write it in Nasu-sensei's style a bit as an offering. And there is indeed a reason for the two's meeting. Unfortunately, Sieg doesn't have the same 'ferocity' of a dragon. In DxD, power is almost equivalent to one's will so dragons who are a lump of power/desires given form have more tenacity that it could be no longer funny (case in point, Fafnir chewing Rizevim). Of course, Sieg is equipped with new abilities or everything will get old... fast.

Wernher von Braun: Thank you for your words. Yes, Saber and Rider have been locked. *+1 for mentioned Servant*

Fate end: Surprisingly, her votes have taken the first spot by a landslide at this point.

Review for Balmung: I thought Balmung and Caliburn are derived from Gram because the sword can either switch from holy to demonic depending on their user's alignment? Still, there's a distortion between them because Siegfried is a somewhat 'bent' form of Sigurd's tale via theatrical performance known as Wagnersomething. Doesn't mean Brynhildr wouldn't notice the differences but she _also_ identified uncanny similarities so... Sieg is pretty much screwed if she met him.

Knight of Steam: *+1 for mentioned Servant* You too have got a messed up scale if taken in some way, you know? I'm starting to find it scary that Brynhildr's fans are popping out one after another.

Guest-kun: I can adapt to mostly everything that can be thrown but utterly 'bent' characters are sometimes hard to catch in terms of personality or habits. Fine example would be most Casters and Berserkers, also some portion of Assassins such as Jack!fem. Still doesn't mean _I can't_ , unfortunately.

Student: Nice. Reasonable at least so *+1 for mentioned Servant*. Yet sadly, Sieg doesn't have any semblance of actual common sense so my interpretation looks different. A little secret for ya: Demon Archer topped the Archer rooster, classified as third best to appear in Peace Meeting Arc which is two books away from now.

King0fP0wers: Nice info there. Thanks for the assistance! Now, about the canon, Kiba and Akeno were _unfortunately_ taken out while Issei isn't looking, and early too. This means they're actually the real targets that must be nipped at the beginning for plot purpose. Also, this also means Ravel is smarter than Rias as she sent out the goons first before setting up a duel for the Queen-Knight to buy time for surprise critical attacks from blind spots. I took up the challenge by making Rias does the same thing which reduced the match into even ground where 'quality' shines the most.

Guest-san: Disguise sure is convincing~ And nah, Astolfo will appear with the power of her(?) luck, which means, the utterly ridiculous is going to appear!

withdrawnmadness000: Thanks for the words, and indeed it's possible. The harem, even if La Pucelle wouldn't appreciate the idea. But for Jeanne and Atalanta, they would still see Sieg as a lost child in the forest first due to his little interactions with mortals and civilizations.

TroublesomeGuest: Your name fits the news you carry with you. The second alternative is already at the level of Diabolical Chaotic so I'll choose the safer slots for Sieg's safety, thank you very much. Still, thanks for the input!

Azum: Excalibur is derived from Gram, which became the basis of Balmung, a magical sword that can switch between holy and demonic depending on the wielder's heart, also capable of killing them if one side is too heavy to the brink. Otherwise, nice suggestions! I'm tempted to use this advice since it just sounds... right in context. Dunno why but thanks a lot!

RandomBoredGuy: Brynhildr is nearing the class of force-of-nature! Now, the connection between a Master and a Servant is kind of special. IF the Grail isn't destroyed, the mechanism keeping the link between Master and their Servant are not going to vanish forver, and even without Command Spells, the connection cannot vanish so easily. Only when special circumstances (e.g. Rule Breaker) or agreement between two Magus (through their own wills) can the connection be tampered or transferred. Sieg just flew over to the distant horizon with a Greater Grail in his mouth in the end of Apocrypha so even if the link is weak, Astolfo remained after the Great War as Sieg's prana supplied her(?) continuously, the Grail acting as a medium or relay point... I think. Ah, right *+1 for mentioned Servant*.

Ehh im a Guest: As always, your name slightly unnerves my grammar equalizer. No matter. First the Grail. Great Red _indeed_ can do it especially with his capacity as a True Dragon, a top Transcendent Kind, but this time, I let him steal _something else_ Gaia has. It's a secret though but why does it sounds so lewd now? Second, Saji... Yeah, I didn't notice. I thought it's light brown since the thought 'what kind of Student Council allowed their member to dye their head blond, especially in the presence of Sona Sitri?' but it seems my expectation has been betrayed. I'll fix it quickly. Next, Apocrypha has ended so most internal musings are simply recollections popping in Sieg's head. Pay it no mind though I wouldn't mind promoting the original work's sale if I can. Finally, the Servant Pieces don't have such simple mechanism. It's a part of a mechanism built by Collective Will so I ain't spoiling ya!

Bulldan: Yes she is. I don't really recommend her since I'm bad at writing utterly broken (not in terms of strength) characters though.

Erastone: *+1 for mentioned Servant*

Guest-kun: I think I just saw similar name to yours... well, whatever. *+1 for mentioned Servant*

One Kick Man: Oh, another oddity. It's fine and all to vote for who you want to see but joining this late is going to be a tough competition for newcomers... Well, *+1 for mentioned Servant*

PredatorPuck: Thank you for the kind words~


	6. Chapter 5 - Under the Moon

**Yet Again Another Announcement:** "Currently, the Servant Slots are set for **Saber, Rider,** and **Lancer.** Though late to say, **YES** , the **Selection** comes with **Reviews** , but I don't permit spamming and using different accounts to boost your choices. If you have any slight care about this story you wanted to read so much, then know that a fair game is what you must play in."

Moving on, here is the End of Vol. 2/Introduction Arc. Forgot adding this but I don't claim anything from TYPE-MOON or Ishibumi.

* * *

Well, now... what exactly had happened?

I sorted out the information I received through my senses, tagging them one by one for prioritization and after a simple glance, shelved them in the corner of my memories before taking out one section to focus myself in comprehending it. After all that, I concluded-

"Looks like she hasn't changed at all." I nodded at the antics of the Gremory during the climax of the Rating Game.

It was well planned and all from the beginning till the second half, but everything went down in ruin as it turned into a direct confrontation. The fact that everyone's tension was sky-high, and the heat of battle carried their adrenaline in double the rate... As a result, Rias Gremory reverted her tactic into the one relying Issei as a trump card. Even though I have told her before that taking out a glass cannon rarely could bring one side to victory...

"At least she changed somewhat," Sona Sitri mused, "Rias wouldn't throw her Peerage or herself in as a bait before so there's slight improvement."

"I guess." I acknowledged her words.

In fact, she used each of her Peerage member effectively. Nearly no movement was wasted, swift like a wind and harsh like a storm. There was no mercy in the tactic she launched out, and that's more than enough for me to know. Though her idea in using the former nun somehow unnerved me, still it was one of the lesser evils.

"Do you wish to go down, Sieg-sama?" Grayfia suddenly asked, "I believe this calls for a victory celebration."

I smiled softly, "No, there's no way I can do that."

On the sports field, after the Rating Game ended, Devils flew in from outside. They carried stretchers, some bringing in something smelled like medicines and other escorting people I noticed as the retired participants, all seemingly unscathed. There was reparation over collateral damages, on-site healing or transference the defeated Phoenix clan to somewhere. Meanwhile, the young Bishop Asia Argento was clumsily floating up and down though, contrasting Koneko Toujou and Akeno Himejima who smoothly sailed through the open space.

The Gremory gathered in one spot as wide smiles bloomed on their dirt-ridden faces. They were wounded, having been thrown to the ground yet winning through all the odds pitted against them. Although the worse to wear was Issei as he was carried by his King, face writhing in agony. They conversed a little yet I noticed some of them having shell-shocked faces.

Hm...? I wonder what they are talking about?

"...your expression seems to say otherwise, Sieg-kun."

Ah, truly? I looked at Sitri sheepishly. If even she said that, does that mean I have an easily readable mind? I'm not too fond of the arts of deceit so...

"Well, excuse me then. It's just, what Issei did somehow exceeded my expectations." I chuckled before standing up from the chair.

"He certainly did. I can't believe he forced out a Balance Breaker." Sitri pushed her glasses' frame.

"And what is a Balance Breaker, Sitri-san?" I asked her as I stood near her, the magical circle slowly descending under the behest of Grayfia.

The Heiress of Sitri was silence for a short while before answering, "Balance Breaker is a... How should I put it, a state where all limitations of a Sacred Gear are unlocked temporarily. Every Balance Breaker differed depending on the type of the Sacred Gear but the similarity lies in major boost of all aspects of the Sacred Gear, thus strengthening their user to an entirely unprecedented level."

"Ah... so it's similar to the execution of a Noble Phantasm." I mumbled.

"Noble Phantasm...?"

Yet again, I have let my tongue slipping once again. I quickly looked away from the Devil's curious gaze and I cleared my throat audibly once we reached the ground.

"Well, because the Rating Game has ended, I shall excuse myself-"

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!"

...huh? I turned my head, unable to notice that everyone else followed my gesture while fixating my gaze on the sudden scream that lacked any fear or panic at all. It was a strange kind of sound I rarely heard since the last time my ears picked such sound was...

It was when Ruler found out Rider's greatest well-guarded secret.

Unable to hide my nervousness, I craned my head steadily, bracing myself for the unknown... and...

"...oh." I exchanged eye contact with Ravel Phoenix.

The girl with sun kissed blonde hair tied in two in a spiraling fashion, wearing elegant dress that seemed to display her status as a wealthy child, and fair feature that reminded me of a doll masterpiece. It was the child I helped in the town's alley, and one who I gave a piece of advice in hope that she would not end up growing like most Magi would.

And then she pointed a finger to me, "Wh-why...!? Why are YOU here!?"

Ah... this reeks of trouble. My heart is telling, no, screaming that I must get away from this place right at this instance or there would be hell to pay for. It was an instinct of a beast that had seen its predator, a very basic yet most important power held by living beings.

 _Fear._

And this fear was commanding me to escape so I have to-!

"...Sieg-kun, where did you meet Ravel Phoenix?" A certain president of Student Council asked.

"Huh? Eh? Sieg-san knows someone of the Phoenix's Peerage?" Argento looked back and forth from me then at Ravel.

And... let's say I cannot, won't, do not and must not explain what the gaze of the Gremory Heiress felt like. It was far too similar with how the dead apparition of Fafnir glared down on me during one of my Dream Cycles.

So, once again, I realized just how poor my luck truly is. Fafnir, this is all your fault.

* * *

There was a small party held in the old school building. Both the Student Council and the ORC gathered in the front yard where a buffet was spread out on several rectangular tables with drinks on the only round table surrounded by them. It was modest at most since Sitri disallowed exaggerated waste of expenditure, thus having ordered only the most affordable food called 'fast delivery'. I knew nothing about this 'delivery' but a party meant to celebrate joyous occasion was always filled with bright smiles and laughter.

The only oddity would be several persons who were definitely not suited with such atmosphere. For example, a maid, a dragon, and... a Phoenix.

"Are you sure you want to be here? This is a party to celebrate victory over your side." I asked as I stood on the sideline, near a tree and a glass filled with wine in my grasp.

"Wh-what about you? Why are you here? And isn't that alcohol? I thought humans aren't allowed to drink it if you're not old enough." Ravel Phoenix remarked sullenly, her hands holding a glass of juice. Orange, judging from the scent.

Well, I've long passed puberty and adulthood, and could be considered as an ancient being. While perception of time didn't apply to a realm only Beasts lived in, I have counted the exact number of time in human calendar that had passed ever since I abandoned the Surface World. Also, there were alcohols fermented in the basement below the old school building.

 _It'd be a shame if nothing is consumed to liven up the mood,_ so said Rider and Saber at the eve before the Final Confrontation.

"Are you curious about my age?" I asked as with a tilt of hand, the dark red bordering purple fermented liquid wavered in the glass cup resembling a slender chalice. "There is no need to worry. I am already allowed to indulge this."

I sipped the wine, feeling the strong scent and the hot liquid traveling down my throat, warming my stomach in moments. It was delicious, yes, but the container unfortunately reminded me of the Holy Grail, though the real thing never looked remotely physical.

"H-hmph! I'm not curious at all! Also, you haven't answered my question!" Ravel pointed out.

"Oh? Do you not wish to introduce yourself first, Ravel Phoenix?" I pointed out.

And then the young Phoenix swallowed down her next words. Shame was clearly evident after the initial surprise, and she averted her eyes away like a child who had been caught redhanded for doing something wrong.

A moment passed, shifted with minutes. Several minutes had passed yet there was only silence between us. Then-

"I... My name... My name is Ravel Phoenix, a member of the House of Phoenix, one of the 72 Pillars!" She announced. "Don't you ever forget that, human!"

Ah. So she has her own pride. It certainly reminded me of that Treacherous Knight, though this girl was not as disgusting as her older brother could be. It was a genuine pride over her clan's standing built by numerous achievements. Basking in glory, so to speak of it in another way.

"I see," I nodded down, "My turn then. I am Sieg. A pleasure to meet you, Miss Ravel."

I called her that because she seemed to deserve being called with her name rather than her family name. It was a strange feeling, but I guessed it was due to her will to acknowledge her past mistakes and reflecting upon them, one noble trait that should have been carried by those bearing the title of 'pureblood' such as Fiore Forvedge Yggdmillennia.

And yet, Miss Ravel blinked twice, as if finding something odd with my introduction.

"Only 'Sieg'? What is your family name?" She asked with genuine curiosity.

...ah. That is certainly a troubling thing. Perhaps I should have thought of this more thoroughly.

In modern age, surname carried that meaning, a form to recognize whose family one belonged to. No fancy title, no power whatsoever that signified a symbol of authority for the common people, but as a result of bonds between two people who should be called as one's parents. An identity, perhaps.

Only nobles, Magus and the likes of Heroic Spirits held heavy concern over their names albeit the former simply flaunted them around to show their superiority over their 'powerful lineage'. Meanwhile, True Name for Heroic Spirits provided advantages and protection. At one side it was a to tell their Master from which myth they came from, and so allowing the Magus to comprehend the battle capacity of the Servant completely. At the other side, True Name provided direct link to their legend from their birth, achievements, history and then all the way to how they died.

Even when they far surpassed current humanity, they could never escape from the concept of Death like a common mortal. Though there were also some exceptions but their numbers meant nothing but grains among the ocean, and should be called as a separate existence altogether.

"...ah... Uh... I... I'm sorry for asking."

Hm? I snapped back from my thoughts. I saw Ravel curling away, her head hanging down to hide her expression.

"Why are you apologizing?" I asked. "You did nothing wrong, Miss Ravel."

Her cheeks reddened but she shook her hood furiously.

"No! I was being disrespectful at you! Even though you taught me that disrespect will only return with vengeance...!"

...ah. So that is what bothering her. My words heavily influenced her, did they? Even though I simply wished to help, it turned out my assistance led to the birth of a new problem.

"I...! I wasn't sensible enough to notice it! I didn't even know you...!" Ravel continued on.

And I believed I should prevent everything from falling apart now.

"It is fine."

I placed a hand on her head. Softly, the gesture surprised her but as I moved the hand slowly, patting her, Ravel's tension relaxed and her shoulders were lifted of their invisible burdens.

I nodded lightly when she gazed at me, "There's no need to trouble yourself that much. An advice is in the end, a mere phrase of words. You are allowed to not obey it, Miss Ravel."

"B-but...!"

"It's fine," I told her. "I may not have any semblance of bond with my family. I may not even know who breathed this body with life. Even so... I am grateful for your consideration. Thank you."

I do not mind it. After all, I was born not as a living being, but as a tool. The concept of 'family', 'individual', or even 'living' were never within my capability. As a component of a system that had gone out of control, I was even less than my brethren as an 'imitation of human'. Even so... the moment I received His heart...

I know that I have obtained the concept of 'life'.

"And so... I do not see any reason to dislike you for that, Miss Ravel."

"...!"

...oh? Now why do I feel there is an extreme source of heat under my palm? I lowered my knees and found out the smaller Phoenix was stunned still, her mouth gaping as crimson red painted her entire face. It was a honest-to-goodness... disturbing sight but I ought to ask.

"Miss Ravel?" I called out.

"Wu?!" The girl returned to the realm of the living, only to be shocked by something when I peered into her brilliant eyes. "Kyah?!"

She shrieked like a small animal before scurrying away into the distance. Ah... where is she going? And why is she running backward like a drunken Rider...?

Before I could have the motivation to chase after her, a small but noticeable clap echoed. Everyone's attention gathered on the silver-haired Queen serving the Lucifer.

"Well, then. I shall return to the Underworld and report the conclusion of Rias-sama's first Rating Game's to Sirzechs-sama. This victory mayhap requires a formal celebration should your parents heard of it too, Rias-sama." Grayfia stated curtly.

"As much as I'd like to not let him do as he pleases, that person will certainly do just that, isn't he, Grayfia?" Rias sighed.

"Yes. Rias-sama is, after all, the younger sister of the Yondai Maou." The maid for once left a ghost of a thin smile.

...ah. If I looked at Issei who's being seated on his own 'chair-of-honor', his facial expression told me a thousand pictures.

"Eh? Eh? Buchou-san is the sister of the Maou? As in, the Satan himself?" The clueless Argento glanced back and forth between the Heiress of Gremory and her house's servant.

The maid bowed, "Indeed she is. The current Maou holding the title of 'Lucifer' is once known as Sirzechs Gremory, a member of the House of Gremory. Well then, please excuse me."

The mop of silver hair glistened as it retreated into the old school building. The merry atmosphere was struck with silence for a while, and the first to break the ice was...

"Eeeeeeehhhhhhhh!?" Needless to say, what reverberated in the whole area was the scream of Issei Hyoudou, the Pawn and the Host of Welsh Dragon, once known as the spirit of the flag of Britain.

Hm. Now that I think about it, what would Saber say when she met him? Would she recognize Issei as the avatar of an idol who bore witness of the entire glory and fall of her father's reign? Or would she claim him to start her own reign if he approved her? Somehow, the thought of having a kingdom ruled by the unscrupulous, bloodthirsty and dirty mouthed Knight of Treachery made me to imagine a scene of total disaster.

If she didn't want to share delicious premium tenderloin steak, would she even care in ruling people wisely...?

* * *

The party lasted until late night. When the moon was at the highest position in the sky, everyone parted in their ways with the Gremory and the Sitri taking opposite directions. The guest Miss Ravel already vanished long before that, escorted by someone with a similar scent.

Maybe it was another family relative? The man gave off more... powerful scent, radiating a calm yet tempered air around him.

Yuuto and Toujou left in the same direction. Apparently, they lived in an apartment, a building complex hosting spacious rooms that could serve as medium to long term lodging place. Himejima went back to her house which was a shrine if I heard it correctly. But why? I'm still questioning why would a Devil live in a shrine if they take damages in a place shielded by faith.

"Issei-san, are you okay?" Asked Argento to Issei.

The boy wobbled a bit, his steps were awkward but he gave a soft smile, forced it might look as at the former nun.

"Ah... this isn't much, Asia. It's nothing big!" He said boastfully in an attempt to convince her.

The girl pursed her lips but didn't say anything. She simply walked by the boy's side while watching his movement closely. She was probably expecting him to fall and prepared herself for the worst. And yet, she did not breach her boundary; simply waiting with unfounded virtue.

"..." I had no choice but to look away from the sight.

How similar was she to her? How could there be someone so pure, so kind, so gentle, so zealous and self-sacrificing that she reminded me of the Saint whose virtuous devotion ended her short life? The more I looked at her back, the more I recalled her past actions, and the more it pained my heart as her last words rang in the depth of my mind like a wave of ringing bells.

 _'We will meet again, so please... wait for me.'_

A promise that was left unfulfilled. A promise that heralded my standing as the One Who Continued to Wait for the Promised Person, a vow that I personally betrayed by prioritizing myself. Without my existence in the Reverse Side of the World, there would be no one that would welcome her should she arrived there. There would be no miracle, and nothing would truly save her, much less stopping her from regretting her decision in following her path.

Once again, I realized that my decision may have affected, and perhaps doomed another into the maw of despair.

"...Sieg-kun? Is something the matter?"

A voice asked. I looked ahead and found Rias Gremory staring back with a curious expression.

Her lone question, however, drew the attentions of Issei and Argento. The former staring at me after having a hard time to register the crimson-haired girl in his eyes, and the latter having drawn a concerned look that once again stabbed my heart.

But I responded with a nod instead of keeping myself in silence, "Ah. I am simply having a problem should I return to my... house."

The girls tilted their heads with Gremory being the first to stop in her tracks, "Ah. I have heard that you tried a hand on a familiar ritual that ended up ruining your place... but I thought the church is not the property of anybody's at the moment."

What... what sharpness. And why is she speaking so clearly that her Peerage could catch up with her words? Could it be... she has an ulterior motive?

"Ah, so that's it." Rias Gremory snapped her fingers while snickering, "I see now where your problem lies in. Sieg-kun, you..."

What... what should I do? Should I run? No, that would not end well in the long term. Then should I retaliate? But what excuse should I put? Should I... should I stop the Devil from blurting out the truth-

"You do not have a place to rest for the night, aren't you?"

And... the secret is now out.

Ashamed, I looked away from the odd gazes that I felt as intimidating. Two of them have a terrible magnitude which mirrored Ruler's compassionate side when she heard of the family circumstances of the host of the lodging place we took refugee in, while one was a gaze that seemed as if it had peeled the wall of will protecting my soul.

Then Rias Gremory clasped her hands, "I understand! As a form of my gratitude, I will arrange an answer for your problem, Sieg-kun!"

"Huh...?" Taken aback, I took a step behind from the bright smile the Devil had.

But then, I recalled a phrase Ruler once said.

 _'Beware of the Devil tempting your every step, Sieg-kun!'_

...ah, I was already caught. What should I do, Ruler...?

* * *

In the end, during the chaos was the most correct time to break out from the trio. I took up a shortcut, erased my presence and fled into the night as far as my feet could take me. Before I knew it, I had arrived in a street very familiar to me, one that would lead me to the abandoned church that had fallen prey to the atrocity of Magecraft.

Not before I told Issei 'You did well' of course. The boy deserved a praise even with his reckless attempt to defeat an immortal, no matter how shallow and weak his opponent was.

I exasperated, "Truly, my life is but a tranquil one."

 _"Indeed it is, O lost lamb. Indeed it is."_

Ah... yet again, I have run on another acquaintance that I started to think everyone's linked together by invisible threads. Then again, going down that path needed no more reason for questioning the nature of the Akasha was very much the same as questioning whether or not Type-Mercury fancied upon scheming with Gaia and Type-Moon in eradicating humanity to 'sterilize' the planet.

Well - I believe that greeting the Watcher of the Stars is suffice before apologizing for the ruination of the church...

"...huh?" I halted my steps, craned my head and my world was filled with light.

Intense. Powerful. Searing. Then an explosion occurred, followed by a cloud of smokes rising to the night sky.

But I exited the smokes with a relatively unscathed state, albeit my clothes were partly singed and burned. Once I landed, however, every cell inside my body warned, alarmed, screamed so I moved without thinking in order to avoid several spears crafted purely from divine element. Magically constructed, overflowing with prana, and _deadly._

"What...?" I retreated as I stepped aside, ducked and leaped around to evade the seemingly limitless rain of holy spears.

The walls were crushed, concrete pavement was melted and steel lid which led to an underground waterway shredded into pieces upon contacting the magical spears. Hundreds by numbers, powerful in their own to kill a dozen humans with extreme ease. Yet in the midst of it all - the Watcher of the Stars stood with spears coming to exist around his _wings_.

"Wings...?" I paused as the onslaught unexpectedly stopped, and I reformed my stance while observing the man warily.

Of black feathers akin to the color of jet-black. Five pair of dark wings spread to the limits as if grasping the end of the sky. With pointy ears and slowly paling face, his hair color changed into pure black while his reddened sclera bounded dark pupils that reflected one intention.

I was familiar with that intention.

The almost too nostalgic pressure as if the air became one with gravity to tie down all who yielded not to it. The sharp coldness that was creeping from every corner of my vision as if trying to find a crack within my mind to acquire my heart with unshakable terror. And the madness that was unified with obsession to achieve one objective: to kill one's enemy.

But the man's expression softened for a little when he greeted my gaze, "You have grown splendidly."

What...?

"What do you..."

"Hear me, O mighty existence. You who have recognized your own worth, and yet still wandering without any guidance."

A spear of light emerged on his side, parallel to him as he gripped the mass of pure prana without harming himself. He wielded it as if it was a common weapon made from iron and wood, and it was with utmost finesse like a warrior who had gone through thousands of battles, be it victory or even defeat, _alive._

It spoke volumes of his strength, causing me to tremble.

"You, who I recognize as an entity bearing a bright star within yourself. I ask of you - is the path you have chosen truly the correct one?" The Watcher questioned.

I stood still upon the words I have heard. But I had to force myself, my body to be back under my control. I had to, otherwise, I couldn't have rolled to the side to avoid a lightning speed thrust of a holy spear wielded by the black-winged man. My body felt heavy and it was as if the world progressed slower than it was supposed to be.

What... is this...? An influence of magic? A spell? A creation of territory... Reality Marble? No, could it be...!

"A bounded field...!" I spat out as I glimpsed the spear of light and leaped ahead, barely missing the magical construct by a hair breadth.

The spear that lost its target smashed into a wall, of a house and the building burst out into fragments of rubble. The wind blew harshly with noise that interrupted my sensitive hearing as I found several spears of light making wide arcs to pierce through me. Hurriedly I backed away but as if they were guided, the spears changed their directions and were already within an arm's length after I blinked.

 _"Straße\gehen!"_

A hammer went down, igniting magic circuits that flared in neon blue glow. The magic circuits' activation reaching the fingertips of my right hand, and glowing lines marked the startup of the spell I was most skilled at. And so I pictured it.

 _What I desired is a shield, unbreakable and unshakeable in the face of my enemy's numerous weapons. Thus, it is a steel with form, a steel so large, towering to protect its owner. A shield that I desired is a shield only I can create, one manifested with this hand!_

Explosions erupted, and everything was obscured by smokes and black haze. The scent of charred coals coming from the heated concrete. The Watcher silently observed - and I charged ahead with a rectangular shield twice taller than my body grating against the pavement. Sparks scattered, winds were broken in the face of the steel shield that was brought forward using my dragonic strength.

"Not enough!" The Watcher yelled.

Then the shield was bombarded, crumbling to dust once hundreds of spears of light struck it in a dozen waves. I staggered back, my right arm was torn and spraying blood with the white of bones visible while the fingers that seemed to have melded with steel bent in unnatural ways. It was a grotesque sight, bone-chilling if caught in one's eyes but I swung it down to the side and repelled a spear of light, further damaging it as if I had just struck a hot iron rod.

The magically constructed spears hammered on the magical veil, harsh like a torrent of hails. The Magic Resistance of a Transcendent Kind was nothing to be scoffed at, and I believed only those equipped with Dragon Slaying effect or those overly powerful ones were capable of penetrating my initial defense.

Yet I realized this was the case for the latter as the spears of light pummeling the invisible thin veil. Clearly, if left alone, they could break through my Magic Resistance.

I knew nothing of the Watcher's capability, nor do I recognize the spells he utilized. The spears of light might as well be limitless weapons that could surround me from all direction and siphoned my strength with time - a golden opportunity that may as well be more than enough when I am under the domain of the Watcher.

If so... I must end this battle as fast as I could!

The activated magic circuits flared yet again, and my body which was one of a dragon wearing human skin responded with subtle increase of body temperatures. I lifted my right arm that had been healing through breathing in mana of the environment; the neon blue circuits marked the surface of the skin as a spell was once again conjured.

During the War, I had been cornered along with Rider once. Against the Magus who was also the Master of Saber of Black, I retaliated in my defense for survival. The memory was hazy by now but I knew all too well that I did something to protect my life; as the Magecraft once created solely to alter matters from the base particles was used on my own body to protect my life, my arm twisted, distorted, changed shape into a barrel of a gun that fired off a solid mass of iron. Neither a bullet nor a sword but closely resembled either of them.

And so I chose to reenact the process yet again, feeling searing pain eating my right hand as it was consumed by lines of Magic Circuits. After the structure was analyzed, the base particles were focused and altered to suit my current needs.

"Hm...!?" The Watcher grunted in surprise when a long sword that looked like a giant bladed cross grew from the palm of my hand.

A sword. A sword designed from a vague concept, one that I simply drew straight from my soul, from this Spiritual Core. it was a weapon that did not blend in with its awkward shapes, clumsily made and more like a slab of sharp steel.

Holding it with both hands, the crude sword flashed with silver light towards the Watcher that vanished from the spots. I cut through only black feathers as I stumbled, quickly focusing on my senses and looked up when I picked the signature of the attacker alongside exponential raise of magical energy. He's... way too far that it would make me an easy target if I were lured in.

"You threaded forward with no fear, risking your life yet displaying a gaze that seemed to say otherwise. Clearly, you are a distorted existence." So said the Watcher of the Stars with a massive magic circle expanding behind his back.

The insane amount of prana swirled like a vortex around it. The diagrams were unrecognizable to me and yet knew.

That _thing_ is dangerous.

That _thing_ is deadly.

That _thing_ will hurt me.

The massive amount of magical energy nearly intoxicated me, a being whose keen sense was, by far, the strongest among other Phantasmal Beasts. I buckled under the pressure, deep rooted for the magnitude of the spell was clearly beyond human logic...

" _Human?_ " I paused, realizing my initial mistakes.

Wrong. Wrong. Wrong. Why did I limit myself by fighting like a human would against a nonhuman? Why did I fight against a being who clearly outclassed me in terms of thaumaturgy? I shouldn't have measured his strength with human standards. _I shouldn't have judged this man as if he has limits like a human would._

"I will now introduce myself, young man." The man said as he bowed like a true gentleman, yet the viciousness in his eyes did not disappear. "My name is _Kokabiel,_ one of the fallen Watchers. A high-ranked member of Grigori, the Fallen Angel Faction who had survived the Great War."

Thus he confessed. Lightly as if he was attending a ball and simply giving out his identity as the norm, the man flapped his wings with sickly wide smirk adorning his face.

"I have come to test your mettle, one who is neither human nor beast." He said with a chuckle.

He quickly charged the magical diagrams with prana and numerous stars were born from thin air. One-by-one, the light of a magically crafted spear multiplied in an alarming rate that had the bounded field not been around, the sky would have looked like an ocean of newborn stars. it was... it was a very, very _fast_ process that it was as if the spell began and finished in a blink of an eye.

"Now show me your true strength!" He exclaimed, issuing a challenge that I obviously did not register in my head.

If I dodged, what will happen to the ones living nearby? Could a bounded field even be capable of holding up against a spell that warranted the honor of being called as a Noble Phantasm? If I blocked, could I even make sure that I remained unharmed and focused enough to not let down my guards? What if I released my full strength?

 _Then what would happen to this town's inhabitants?_

Fear struck me at the notion. If I wanted to win. Should I desire to smite the man who pictured the essence of nonhuman... I would require the sacrifice of this city to fuel my power. I would change into a Dragon, one who stood at the apex of Phantasmal Beasts and devoured the life force of the land I am in. Plants. Insects. Animals. Even humans. Be it Magi or common man. Be it voluntarily or involuntarily...

I would devour them all mercilessly _, and he knew clearly what I was capable of as well as what I disliked to do._

"...why...?"

Looking up, only then I noticed a hint of regret. A sign of sorrow as the Fallen Angel's regretful smile flashed for a brief moment.

"I have to, _my son._ " He replied.

Not even a moment had passed, everything was swallowed in bright light.

* * *

'So impatient' would be the correct words to label the person's behavior who skirted around the castle.

It was even stranger when the admittedly short person with pink braided mop of hair slung over the shoulder, holding a charming appearance that could entice both man and woman alike, and also known to be incredibly loud and noisy and chaotic and nonsensical and extremely loud that anyone who listened for a long time would be driven insane as well... was extremely nervous to the point of annoying Caules Forvedge Yggdmillennia.

It had been years ever since he had last seen the being with weird code of dress. But even Caules the Imbecilic Magus who delved in IT recognized that sort of dress was almost unfitting for one said to have exceeded humanity in their lifetime. Of course, there were exceptions such as the arrogant Lancer of Black or the creepy Caster of Black, but the one behind him who waited for his return was annoying as hell.

Even more so than the female Homunculus. _Why is she still remaining as my assistant anyway?_

"Would it kill you to calm down for once, Rider?" The glasses-wearing young man-turned-man asked.

"But I can feel it! Something is weird, y'know? Don't ya feel it too, Caules?! That, that tingling-thingy as if my antenna is reacting to a signal or something!?" Rider shouted with express concern, not realizing the Stray Servant had blurted out the fact he had scoured over the oriental cultures Caules gathered in secret.

But of course, he didn't believe it. If you took this damnable chatter box seriously, you are doomed to be a follower of the masses of freaks all born in a frighteningly similar way. Hell, even without Charisma stat, this being already once signed up as an idol and raked up billions of dollars that for some reasons were shoved into his bank deposit.

 _I'll be honest. I didn't know Homunculus could giggle like an angel when I was about to receive cardiac arrest, but I digress._

"Rider, you... You do know that I can't help you in any way to assist your 'Grand Quest'... whatever impossibility that entailed to." Caules pushed his glasses frame deeper. "You can't hope to reach your Master. He's gone all the way to the horizon."

He didn't like to use cruel words but the being already tested his patience in the worst way possible. After getting nearly killed (again) in the 7th mock Holy Grail War this year, he went home only to be inquired by the other branches of the clan about his reckless involvement. He was also bothered by his sister's 'that usual time of the month' but then the Homunculus assistant dragged him to the Workshop only to drone on about his performance before slyly making her way out to pin him against the wall, whispered sweet nothing bordering insults to his ears, licked her lips seductively as she stared intensely with smoldering gaze before she greedily devoured...

 _Ahem, that's my private business so nothing should be said any more._

"Anyway, why would you want to go to the summoning chamber?" Caules asked while suppressing a blush from forming on his long matured face, "The entire castle has been renovated too many times that nothing like a fragment of a Holy Grail can be found."

"Because the signal got stronger when I get closer to that place!" Rider shouted frantically.

He sighed. _Wonder why I bothered to entertain this fool as a company... maybe stupidity?  
_

Caules of course had been given periodical reports about the territory. The leyline had returned back to its former state so the idiots trying to sneak their way in would find it pointless before getting stabbed by the guards Homunculi. Those damned insolent flies didn't even know that every time Caules returned, he earned himself more tricks to deal with them, courtesy to the things he was forced to learn under the tutelage of the likes of Lord El-Melloi II. Also from the Servants he summoned during the many instances of Holy Grail Wars he interrupted in.

Not that he was proud of risking his life but he admitted he enjoyed it a little when he stole the spotlight in blowing up the Grail. Fortunately, his disposition made him summoning the best Servants matching both his job and personality. Despite those common routines, he sometimes worried if he would end up as Zelretch the Second if he ever indulged himself fully in such wretched hobby. Before at the Clock Tower he happened upon a Magus screaming gibberish beyond the door of their workshop after several months studying under the old troll.

That was clearly not the future he wanted to expect. Not for Caules the Imbecile Number Two.

"And... do you have any lead why is that?" Caules massaged his temples before asking.

"No idea at all!" He got the usual answer he deserved.

 _Really, is this guy for real? Isn't this being before me the longest active Heroic Spirit on Earth?_

Caules once again sighed, fully knowing well that denying any further meant he was denying the peace that came after the storm. Yes... let's just endure and hope that it would pass.

 _If it could ever pass,_ a small dark corner in his head retorted otherwise.

Thus he guided the whimsical Servant to the summoning chamber. It was genuinely dark, residing in the underground and was directly linked to a power spot of the local leylines. With circular stone benches surrounding a blackened mound was once a chamber he entered in order to fulfill his duty as a Magus, as well as a member of the main clan. He didn't want it at first since he would have to risk his life but his sister needed badly a mental support, which was quickly fulfilled by having summoned a Greece hero who was once a divine being.

A man that she fell in love with. That went the same for Caules who summoned her-

Shaking his head, Caules nudged the stray Servant, "Oi, Rider. What now-?"

A blinding red flash, followed by the suffocating feeling as if space itself distorted. Caules winced, his entire senses alarmed and he readied a stance to activate his Magic Circuits and a spell preloaded in his Magic Crest.

But he wouldn't expect it happening right before his eyes in an instance.

It appeared in the form of shimmering heat haze. It covered the Heroic Spirit who was the sole occupant of the inner circle where a hexagram for summoning ritual once resided on, making the petite figure unstable as if... as if...!

"Rider!?" Caules shouted when winds began to be sucked into the heat haze.

The magical energy was enormous. The prana in the air harmonized with the ones in the leylines with the stray Servant as the center of focus. Then reality warped when ahead of the being opened a pitch black darkness with a small, pint-sized light streaming out as if it was the end of a tunnel.

And he realized what that implication meant.

"Ah, he's calling. Calling... For help. He even used Command Spell unconsciously." The Heroic Spirit muttered, the purple hoodie fluttered alongside the pink braid of hair. "Haa... you really can't be helped."

The sounds of glass shattering were the first sign of reality warping, followed closely by the breaking of natural laws. Caules understood with a mere glance that if left alone for too long, the distortion would guarantee a harsh response from the Collective Will of the planet in an attempt to fix the newborn unnatural variable. But he was not the one involved with it.

No, it was the Heroic Spirit. The key to solve this situation, be it toward ruin or toward stability, all fell upon those small shoulders.

And then, Rider of Black smirked back, "Well, I better get going now, Caules! Tell Fiore I say hi! See ya later!"

"Ri-!"

The stray Servant jumped, plunging into the dark tunnel, grasped the light and vanished from this world as if nothing abnormal had ever happened in the summoning chamber.

Everything was silent afterwards.

* * *

 _I supposed that it was inevitable._

In the world of pure white, what came to my mind was a hand offered as if it was my last salvation. The translucent image becoming clearer as the armored person with a cloak fluttering behind that small frame, and a wide smile devoid of any malice.

 _"What do you truly want?"_ So the person asked, the question becoming increasingly loud as if it was whispered next to my ear.

I listened. I closed my eyes. I recalled. And unconsciously, I drew my hand to grasp the hand, feeling the warmth that seemed impossibly reassuring when the hand squeezed mine tightly in return.

 _"Help me, Rider."_ I pleaded without noticing the weight being lifted off my shoulders the moment I uttered those three words.

Then the smile intensified.

 _"Got it, Master!"_

Reality spun out, spiraling into motions as my awareness of it caused me to once again reign on my senses, fully this time with a screech of a beast that seemed like an eagle's shrieks amidst torrents of explosions as if Archer of Red was showering down her powerfully wide Noble Phantasm. It was hard... to comprehend anything at this point, and the first thing that came to me was the fact I was closing my eyes, perhaps on reflex.

I opened my eyes...

And what I saw was a red cloak, an insignia of a kingdom once ruling in the distant past sewn on it, and soft pink hair that was tied in braids with a conspicuously large black ribbon dangling. My body felt as if it was slung over someone's shoulder as if I was a sack of potatoes.

"Huh-"

Below me, I saw golden brown fur of a breathing animal. Flapping on the sides were a pair of wings so large that each move brought me to confront the fierce wind above as if breaking through to the sky. With a shriek similar to that of an eagle, I could now foresee the large, winged mount carrying me away with the mysterious person.

I craned my head upward when I sensed unnatural amount of prana surging up; it was familiar. And I saw the bounded field I was in several moments ago. It seemed likely that the destruction contained within was being repaired. A hole apparent on the bounded field, allowing me to take a glimpse of the isolated area.

And I saw the Fallen Angel smiling bitterly. In resignation, in bitterness, in sorrow, but also in relief and joy as he gazed at me, seemingly to have noticed my sudden escape. Then the view was obscured with seas of gray clouds, my body being buffeted by the roaring winds, the chilling airs, and the cold moisture of water in the clouds. When the flying mount, which I recognized as something familiar, flew out from the seas of clouds to gallop above them, only then that I was put down on the mount properly to face my helper.

"Yo, Master! It's been a while, don't cha think?" So greeted Rider of Black, Astolfo of the Twelve Peers.

I blinked once. Twice. And then thrice to make sure I wasn't seeing an illusion. Though the armor looked slightly different, it clearly belonged to the Heroic Spirit who accompanied my journey from the beginning to the end during the Great Grail War. It was the one person who continued to stay loyal to me even when others were not. It was the one who saved my life by offering me a chance to be saved. It was...

 _It was Rider._

"...Ri...der...?" My voice unexpectedly hitched in a fragile manner like a cracked stained glass scraping each other.

But it was done through my will and sheer efforts. I squeezed that one word because I wanted to believe what I am seeing. I wanted to know this wasn't a dream where I was knocked out by that flood of spears of light in reality. I wanted to believe, all in the glimmering hope; in a small wistful thought that was surrounded by unexplained fears.

"Yep yep! Your favorite Servant is here, Master!" Rider smiled widely. "Now what's next? Should we go down and knock down that weird crow with odd set of wings? Is that the enemy? What kind of Heroic Spirit is that? Kind of kinky isn't he? And he looks creepy but if I'm with Master then it'll be a swish-swosh-whoosh so there's nothing to worry. Oh, but I would definitely suggest against leaving it entirely for me to decide. For no man can show as much a lack of restraint as I, Astolfo!"

...ah. Yes. Looks like his Personal Skill 'Evaporation of Reason' still retained. Although the last line was more or less a rehearsed version from before when the Heroic Spirit accepted my plea. This is Rider alright.

...and this... is not a dream.

"...Rider..." I muttered as I raised a hand, and he grabbed it in gusto.

With a wide smirk. With carefreeness that knew no bound. With immaturity unfitting for a proper Servant, yet with a heart that continued to possess the aspect of a Hero. Was this a miracle? Could this even happen when we were dimensions apart? When I noticed my left hand, the Command Spells had lost one of its three sigils, disproving me quietly as I glanced back to meet his gaze.

I smiled, "it's been a while, Rider."

The Servant enthusiastically replied, "Y'know etiquette well this time, Master! It's nice-"

"Why are you letting go of the saddle?"

 _Eh_ , was the Servant's only word when the Phantasmal Beast we rode squawked in indignation, and threw it's back, causing us to leave the mount of the familiar.

 _"Eh?!"_ Rider's response was only that.

"Ah. So that's what happened when you let your guard down around a Hippogriff..." I muttered to myself when we made an arc together.

Then we plummeted down.

"Eeeeeeeeeeeehhhh?! You stupid biiiiiiirrrddd!" Rider screamed from the top of his lungs.

"Wrong, Rider. Hippogriff is a hybrid born between a Griffin and a Mare." I admonished him.

"You're too calm in this, Sieg!" The Servant shrieked in protest.

I nodded, "umu. I got that a lot by now."

Although... even if we fell down like this, it's not like we're going to die. While I wasn't sure why the Phantasmal Beast went up against Rider, I still noticed it threw us off to a direction... oh, it's Kuoh Academy. I didn't notice there was a swimming pool either so I guess we could use it as some cushion.

* * *

 _They got away... at the last second too._

"Still, what a surprise. I didn't know he's also acquainted with a Hippogriff tamer." The Watcher of the Stars - Kokabiel rubbed his chin in thoughts.

Not many could ride a powerful mythical beast such as a variant of the Griffin. While Hippogriff was a hybrid, it's mixed blood actually strengthened the common heritage while adding more abilities that could surpass even the oldest Griffon. Though due to that same heritage they became overly proud creatures akin to unicorns, taming one also meant a degree of impossibility; thus, those who were capable of doing it could be said as one of the best Beast Tamers throughout history.

 _But, in the current age, I haven't heard of a human capable of taming one..._

"Hm... I think there was one instance where a Paladin racked up various legends that he could ride a Hippogriff, but..." The Fallen Angel soon exasperated, "Ah, how foolish of me to have forgotten a star's name."

Shaking his head, the man stared at the night sky.

Still, he too was hiding his name all the time though the fake identity was actually a dead giveaway. The title 'Watcher of the Stars' was another alias derived from 'Angel of the Stars', his official title since time immemorial. Not that he cared much about such glorified reverence when he failed to uphold his duty. Still, what was strange was how the young man reacted to his fake name when they first introduced their selves.

He didn't flinch. He didn't waver. He didn't even panic or thinking of the familiarity in that name. Above all else, no reaction was the only behavior that best could be described for someone who never took the chance to skim religious archives. And in the supernatural world, he was sure any being old enough with decent power have been educated in the structure of organization of each existing Faction.

And the young man - no, the young powerful creature knew nothing about him. There could only be several possible conclusions to this discovery but if his worry was spot on...

"You are not alone, young man." Kokabiel chuckled, "As long as you hold on to that bond you have forged... someday, someday there will definitely be a time for you to obtain your answer."

It was nothing but a wish. A hope that may very well be extinguished in the upcoming chaotic age. Once the wind changed and blew a storm, the world would change forever, and a new history will be born after thousands of years of stagnation.

Still, he wished, "I pray... that you will find your happiness."

Then the Fallen Angel vanished, leaving nothing but black feathers that would fade away once the break of dawn arrived.

* * *

My body was hurtling and spinning in place as the wetness of the water wrapped me with sharp coldness. In the darkness, bubbles formed when air was trapped under the water. The moment my body stopped it's revolution, heavy sensation dragged me down as if an anchor was chained to my waist and my back struck something solid. I noticed Rider had already thrown himself to latch on me, his eyes shut tightly while holding his breaths beforehand.

A good choice knowing we were drowning in a quite shallow water but I'm not a human, neither am I a Homunculus. I was a Dragon, and my lung capacity vastly outmatched any mortal being's save for those who were blessed with the ability to sleep in the water. Like Jormungand, for example, but that Dragon was more like a serpent coiling and waiting until the end of the world.

I did not know if it still existed even after the Age of Gods had long passed.

Regardless, I paddled my way while pulling Rider to the surface that glimmered due to the presence of the moon. The utter silence unnerved me as it reminded me of when I was living as a mere prana supplier to the Servants of Black Faction. Of course, that did not prevent me to reach our from the water and I could feel a reassuring sound through direct contact.

A heart beating. Someone's heart thumping, resonating. It was Rider's. How nostalgic... I admitted it eased me a lot that I could move far easier than a few moments earlier.

"Phah...! Bah! C-co-cold...!" Rider screamed when our heads surfaced from underwater, still latching on my waistcoat. Now why is he circling his arms behind my back?

I sighed as I shook my head to clear out the droplets of water and strands of hair blocking my sight, "hang on, Rider. We're going off the pool quickly."

"Hu-hue? Pool...?"

Since the Heroic Spirit was shivering and wearing chainmail with thick cloak like that, I was quite certain he'd drown when he let go of me. And so I pulled him while swimming to the edge of Kuoh's school swimming pool and dragged Rider off the water.

"Land! It's a land! We're still alive!" Rider jumped forward, his previous shivering form seemed like blatant lies now.

I stood still as the immature Heroic Spirit laughed before turning a tirade about his mount; his expression shifted from upset, anxiety, worries, curiosity, reassurance, relief, outright joy and then full-blown curiosity again as he placed a hand parallel with his eyebrows when he looked around. It was like watching a child visiting a toy store for the first time in his life.

"Rider." I called out to him, hoping for the Heroic Spirit to halt his steps from entering his favorite mood to go on a grand adventure.

But the Servant slowly turned around, obeying my calling for once without any comeback. With hands held behind the small of his back. With hair dripping wet and sticking on his pale neck. With cheeks accented by tints of red. With soft and bewitching light purple gaze, the Heroic Spirit smiled from ear-to-ear while bearing the full moon behind his back.

Seeing that familiar smile, I couldn't help but to smile. Replying in a kind, we felt memories revisited, bonds reforged, and told words just by staring at each other. Although we both knew it wouldn't be enough, but for tonight... I think it's alright if we settled with this alone.

"Pfht...! You look horrible like a drowned wraith, Master." So said Rider.

"And you look like anything but a man, Rider." I quipped.

Finally, we laughed. A Master and a Servant, laughing in complete sync. Under the starry night sky, after eons of solitude, a small wish I didn't know was holding was granted. A selfishness that allowed me to be reunited with my best friend, regardless of it being the work of utter coincidence, a miracle, or even a preordained fate.

I didn't understand much after all that chaos. I wasn't even sure what I am going to do from now on in this dimension. Even so, I could meet Rider once again. I was reunited with one of the many people who guided me to see a world of wonder, of chaos, of all the beautiful and the ugly that taught me what life could await me. Thus...

 _" "I'm glad, to have met you again." "  
_

* * *

 **-Author's Rambling-  
**

"Umu... it's steadily increasing to 200 huh?"

Wonders truly can work. Anyway, hurray for the end of Yakitori Arc! (lol) Besides it, the reviews I was supposed to answer went erased by connection problem. Dang it. I don't like doing the same thing twice...

So I won't drag for long. Rider's summoning here combined the elements of FSN and what I know about summoning ritual. Since the Greater Grail isn't destroyed, the link between Servant and Master still remained. The ritual simply opened the pathway between DxDverse and Nasuverse to a passable rate, and the command spell was used to distort the fabric of reality for almost-instant teleportation to achieve a result (just like Shirou calling for Saber's help). How is that possible? Well, this very technique/order is also called 'near True Magic' in concept.

After that, what do you think of the overall story? Is it good? Is it to your liking? Have anything to say? Then speak up for I shall listen to your words! Now, author's out!

* * *

 **-Servant's Selection-**

That being said, the competition is heating up... The rules stated that I must elect the chosen Servant who topped the list by now so here it comes. The winner of this round is... Lancer **Brynhildr!(?)**

No! Shit! Man! What the hell...!? You guys are lucky I have a free ticket to get away from convenient Deus ex Machina for her! Otherwise, it would've been harder to place Brynhildr excepting volume 7! Anyway, next!

 **Nobunaga** raking considerable voices, she can almost be described as next favorite to appear. But **Atalanta** is close behind with **Arjuna** as the third runner...!

 **Tamamo** and **Paracelsus** in ties for Caster position. They're both actually very scary on one side so I guess they can be said as typical Casters.

 **Hyde** is second next favorite, with **Nightingale** looming behind him for the role of Berserker. Both are stark contrast yet if push comes to shove, both befit the position well.

And yet, for some odd reasons, **Heroine X** is in the lead for the Assassin spot. Not too far behind her is the cute-but-deadly Jack, and the drunken Oni Shuten Douji.

Lastly, **Jeanne** is considered as Third Next Favorite for the Ruler-class.

* * *

 **R! A! C!  
**

exiles soul: As I once said, it's good and all you picked your choice, but well... that position is already decided by now.

PX-00: *+1 for mentioned servant(s)*

RandomDude05: *+1 for mentioned servant(s)* Thanks for your words, they encouraged me to write more. About power level, it _will_ change as the story goes by, but whether they're going to be for positive or negative result, nobody knows~ About skills, though, those are ingrained in his Spiritual Core, but executing them for real is a different issue. Sieg without transformation displayed no exceptional combat talent so in normal state, he must learn them by his own. Also, the summoning in this crossover is quite... unique. Obviously, there's the catalyst as one of the factors but then again, catalyst only acted as mere balancer to adjust the accuracy of _who_ the Magus wanted to summon.

Guest-san: I'm a personal believer of forms do matter. I intend to make Sieg's combat style varying depending on his form since Sieg is quite honestly, lacking in the department. There's a way to deal with every problem more efficiently after all. Other than that, I already have someone in mind to teach him magic but who knows if it's for the better or not.

Trickster: *+1 for mentioned servant(s)*

fellow: Thank you for the praise!

Three: Yesh, that's actually one of the many reasons why I wrote this story.

One Kick Man: *+1 for mentioned servant(s)*

Erastone: So many ideas to spin out right? *+1 for mentioned servant(s)* And for them... nah, I don't intend to call them as such. Sieg too has a personal view in them.

LL: If Jeanne were at the scene, she would throw out her sermons on him and exorcise Issei with passions~

Mr. Tanaka: Surprisingly, many have the same thought.

Question about my reading material: Nowhere else but canonrap, Nanodesu and then some raw novel reading.

Im stil a guest: Summoning is not as simple as throwing a Servant Piece and be done with it, y'know~? Rider is the only exception since he's still in contract with Sieg. Not to worry about Excalibit Arc, but if it's about Kokabiel, you asked for it. Also, his fake name here is a dead giveaway.

Review about gram n caliburn: I... didn't know both are swords of choosing. Well, I guess Gram is indeed a prototype then though this works more in my favor for future plot purpose.

etheral-23: It all depended on the voting, though... Maa, your reasons are fine. *+1 for mentioned servant(s)*

DocSlendy: Nah, mine is still not as outstanding as Demon Lord's Hero or God Slaying Bladeworks. Sieg will have to first understand the importance of having feelings of course.

Castor115: Un... I guess I'll check on it just in case for inspiration if I'm stuck.

Victory3114: Jeanne is a Saint with little life as a girl in love... Um, it's going to be awkward for sure though. Then again,Rias hasn't exactly moved on from her old habits in the end, so at least something changed a little. *+1 for mentioned servant*

RedRat8: Don't worry, I'm having fun as is and finding words to reply on the feedback eased my life worries.

Shin XIX: Thank you. Actually, Asia seems like she has the strongest mental fortitude after everything that befell upon her in the past, and in canon. Her development is actually far better than Rias that I would have rooted for her more as Issei's OTP (_)

Skoont: Yep, please do mention them if I ever missed something out there. I'd like to clarify several loopholes that I can fix by having this crossover. Still, thank you for the high praises!

Gundam 09: In Excalibur Arc of course! When exactly? That's spoiler so no way I'm telling ya!

Withdrawnmadness000: That's quite... an interesting preconception? I didn't mean it to look that way but that's also quite nice to imagine... Huh, Grayfia is indeed a professional. Still, again, Rias has much more to learn the way she is now.

The Fool: I almost thought you're messing with me but the person really is super famous. His name's even used in FMA to Mana Khemia. Now, the memories are... well, that's a secret for now! *+1 for mentioned servant*

Student: Jeanne will definitely appear considering the real wants of the readers. Then again, she's also a vital character in this story. Only her initial allegiance remained blurry until the stage is set up!

Guest review?: Ravel has an interesting personality despite her first impression. A smart person who's conscious of her standing meant she's also sensitive and decent as a character material. About Brynhildr, though... See what you did there alongside the other cultists now. It's definitely going to be chaotic.

Thunder Dragoon: The inherited abilities are attached to his soul so yes, he does. Deadcount Shapeshifter though... well, there's a surprise for that front. Sieg will of course train later but the person I intended to appoint the role of teacher is... let's just hope nothing bad will happen to our former Homunculus protagonist. Finally, the request is put in my consideration list so don't expect too much from me.

Knight of Steam: A good thinking though I'm also questioning why you agreed on Brynhildr... Is she really THAT popular or is she just THAT good of a character to invest times in? *+1 for mentioned servant(s)*

Guest-kun: Umu, the different suffixes solved the problem. *+1 for mentioned servant(s)*

Azum: Yes. A battle worthy enough to draw (un)wanted attentions to deepen the plot. Look forward to it! Also, the curse exchanged the cursed's Luck for wealth so Sieg will inevitably have more problems than he wanted if the worst happened. I'll consider the options carefully then.

King0fP0wers: And you got your foreshadowing here though I'm quite sure it'll be a grand wonder. Your advice also helped though Kiba in canon _can_ do that. He's simply taken out first by the Bomb Queen of Raiser. And yes, Magic Core of a Dragon is superfluous to the extent of affecting the environment if emitted too much. Issei's ability is unfortunately too personal for most Magi so his would be considered under the Minor Element like Shirou's Sword Element. Still powerful enough that Most (female) Magi would never hope to defend themselves though. *+1 for mentioned servant(s)*.. eh, I don't know anything about Ibaraki Douji. Have anything to tell me about her?

Frozen Shadow 95: I'll fix them later. The laptop's battery is nearing red right now.

Suzululu4moe: What's ironic is Gremory's family trait of 'having too much love'. Rias is affected in a way that her love should be given to the one she truly loved and be loved back in the same way. It's also the reason why she can't betray her house because she loves her family 'too much'. Sieg will probably notice this at some point but Issei is being Issei right now. The guy needs help when his first date turned out to just wanted to kill him for being 'special'. Unfortunately, most Casters would want Sieg as a specimen so the position is too fragile to adjust.


	7. Chapter 6 - A Surprising Discovery

**Brief Recap:** _"Sieg has left the Land Where No Man Could Ever Reaches, and arrived in a new dimension without having no recollection of how or why. After his recent encounter with the native inhabitants of the dimension's Moonlit World, he was thrust in a series of events that led him to summon his once-long-lost-partner Rider of Black."_

* * *

"Well, then. I expect you to explain the entire thing, Sieg-kun."

A fine day heralded the end of spring. With the climate warming up and the occasional showers, humidity slowly but surely became a problem for many people especially those living at a subtropic first world country, so said an interesting sound wave receiver called as Radio. It piqued my interests that the advice to welcome the next season was to stay indoor, drinking water as well as wearing different style of clothes that encouraged thin materials rather than otherwise.

Of course, I was unaffected by the heat so seeing Sona Sitri pursing her lips with drops of sweat lining down her well-nourished cheek was something I found as new if not refreshing.

Now let us get back to the main problem.

"Explain what, Sitri-san?" I asked, feeling a bit curious for having been contacted by the Student Council two weeks after the Rating Game between Gremory and Phoenix.

There were many things that happened.

From the beginning, there was the case of me crossing through the void and arriving in this dimension. After that, I was involved with a chain of events that introduced me to the Moonlit World of this dimension. From the fact that the Age of Gods still existed, to Devils and Biblical God having real status, presences and influences, to the destruction of my lodging place, to observing a Rating Game which seemed to be a native sports tournament akin to Colosseum. My latest finding was the subsequent ambush executed by my guide who forced me to use a Command Spell as the only method in summoning a Servant.

It was easy to sum it all up but there were many things happening in succession I didn't know where exactly to explain in details. Such a troubling matter...

But then the next Heiress of the Sitri house pinched her nose, " _Of course you don't know._ It is regarding our school's swimming pool."

Ah, that. I didn't expect her to point out that small accident. It was because a Phantasmal Beast running wild though I can hardly answer with the truth. Also...

"Is something wrong?" I asked. "I didn't think there was anything out of the ordinary from that swimming pool."

Sitri knitted her eyebrows together. Her sharp gaze somehow unnerved me despite my vast experience in dealing against other Phantasmal Beasts in the land where no man could reach for.

"Then, Sieg-kun... do tell me. Is there someone else other than you who is capable of denying the bounded field and rewritten them to be reduced in ranks of potency without physical contact?" Sitri asked.

It was rather direct, and mostly very accusing in a way that I questioned whether or not my cover as a dragon was blown all-over. Yes, I believed Sitri was sharp enough to not miss out the details, but her curiosity became an entirely different matter if pushed too far.

"Sitri-san, while I do not doubt there are others capable of doing at least that in this world, is there any relation of it with me being held here?" I asked while heaving a slow breath down.

"Because there was a spike of magical energy somewhere around the abandoned church, and the trace led to a hole in the school's bounded field even though after the Rating Game, there was no such thing that could point out to a flaw of it," The Devil pointed out, "Coincidentally, the trace seemed to describe a situation of falling down from the sky and into the swimming pool. That's fine and all but one of the side effects would be how the leylines were somewhat disturbed, while the swimming pool required immediate maintenance to ensure safety of the students."

 _Do you understand what this implied,_ she asked with a sickeningly sweet smile akin to Gremory's. I held my breath in for a bit, and I soon exhaled tiredly.

"Yes. Am I under arrest then?" I asked sheepishly.

Sitri nodded deeply, "It's good enough that you are being honest, Sieg-kun. My Peerage can certainly learn one or two things from you."

I heard several audible sounds of gulping but I ignored them. My attention was wholeheartedly drawn to the High-class Devil sitting in a western-style chair with her hands linked to cushion her chin. I think Rider did the same before. He said he mimicked it from something called as culture-oriented film.

"While I am quite interested in how your 'Sacred Gear' affects the bounded field, a sanction must be made since you have failed to notify either the Gremory or my side immediately. With a loophole in the bounded field like that, there is no telling of what threat that may infiltrate into the school. And so..."

I waited anxiously. Sometimes, this Devil always knew how to touch a subject with built up anticipation that anyone would expect the worst. Then...

"Well," Sitri started, "I have been informed of an increase of Stray Devils. Would you like to investigate the case while eliminating some on behalf of the Student Council, Sieg-kun?"

...ah. Above everything, the assigned job was the most time consuming. Rider is going to be mad when I returned...

* * *

"Oh, Issei. So the hunting is a joint mission?" I tilted my head upon watching a familiar figure waltzing in through the use of a bicycle.

A brown-haired boy with the left arm of a dragon waved a hand cheerfully. Behind him was the former nun and the white-haired Rook who went petrified upon seeing me but masking it with slow and jittery steps.

Honestly, it was not the composition I had expected but who am I to complain?

"It's been a while." I greeted with a hand stretched out.

Issei grasped it firmly, grinning a confident grin, "you bet'cha, Sieg!"

"It's nice to see you again, Sieg-san. How are you lately?" Argento asked.

I smiled, "I dare say it was eventful."

Yes, I did not doubt that. Ever since I was thrown into this dimension, I saw many wonders, learned of human society that has vastly progressed in a rate that was unlike Magecraft, and lived a life surrounded by various beings from Devils to Fallen Angels.

Still, the most important thing would be-

"I could meet someone I thought I had long lost in the waves of time. This, I am truly grateful for." I placed a hand on the place my heart resided in.

Argento beamed a beautiful smile. No, it was indeed such an expression that warranted the strongest impression from my ever-growing dictionary. 'Pretty' was a word that only reached only the exterior, an appearance alone but beauty is... I guess, it's something capable of reaching the heart of someone who saw witness of it.

And Argento possessed such a smile, one that clearly wounded me with an uncanny resemblance, yet relieving me for having seen it.

Truly, she is a strange Devil. I wonder why she even chose to forsake her faith and be reborn as a Devil. It made me curious sometimes...

"Hufft, actually, you've got a good timing, Sieg. I was about to face Mil-tan once again had you not been sent in for this." Issei said, his shoulders sagging down at the end.

I tilted my head. "why? Is something bothering you? And who is this 'Mil-tan'?"

The boy shuddered heavily I almost mistook the response as a sign of earthquake. I looked around just to check but it seemed nothing was wrong. The natural prana in the atmosphere was at the most stable rate tonight.

So, why? What caused Issei to shudder? Is it this 'Mil-tan'?

"You don't want to know. Seriously, don't try to think of it, Sieg." Issei told me in a very grave tone.

Uhm... his eyes looked bloodshot even. Looks like I cannot hope to know the truth then. Maybe it's the best for nobody else to know of it?

"...getting sidetracked." Koneko Toujou remarked, and everyone nodded wordlessly.

"Asia, please set up the bounded field. I'm totally useless in doing that sort of stuff so I'll leave it to you. Koneko-chan, sorry but can you scout ahead?" Issei relayed orders immediately.

The two girls didn't look twice and scattered in different directions, the movement looked well-practiced... ah, perhaps the Gremory has been training during these two weeks as well?

I can see that Issei too has improved a little. The air around him... no, the prana circulating in his body has become more fluid. Hmm... maybe it was because the transition period from being human to a Devil has ended. Since I have yet to know another case of inter-species transitions excepting those of Dead Apostles, I could only theorize without concrete proof.

Still, I guess I should stop thinking about other matters with how we are about to fight rampaging Devils.

"So Sieg, that's your weapon?" Issei asked, staring on a slim sword dangling on my waist.

I glanced at it, then placed a hand over the familiar hilt.

"Yes. I received it again from someone." I muttered as a small smile reached my face.

The boy tilted his head, "Someone? That friend of yours?"

"Yes." I answered readily.

And I was proud of it. Proud for being able to befriend a Heroic Spirit, and proud for having received the company once again even if it was because of a small selfishness.

"Hm?" Then I looked up, catching the sight of a darker veil closing into a hemispherical dome above the entire abandoned building complex. "The bounded field has been created, is it?"

A waft of foreign prana was leaking from the bounded field. Rather than one that Argento gave off, this prana smelled like... sizzled air...? Ah, the mechanism must be something that activated a bounded field that was made before this.

And among the Gremory, only the Devil with odd scent of lightning was said to be the better in Magecraft. Umu, it must be her doing then. After convincing myself, I turned to see Issei placing a stripe of paper on his right ear, the paper shone with ethereal glow as he seemed to communicate through it...

Is that the charm paper from before?

"Yoshi, got it, Koneko-chan!" Issei said, pulling the stripe of paper that lost its shine and inserting it into his pants' pocket. "Sieg, we're going to attack first, followed by Koneko-chan right after."

"Where will it be?" I asked.

"The right one! There's a large area to fight as we please there!" Issei replied.

A sound strategy. Making a surprise attack without holding back ensures more chances for victory. When I nodded, Issei took off to the said direction and I followed closely with reinforced body. He seemed to have used his inherent ability as a Pawn to raise his speed so there was a fair distance between us.

And when we reached one of the abandoned buildings, I noticed the small field used as a parking lot if the sign told me correctly. There were several silhouettes with unstable prana drifting around them in the form of dark miasma.

...what? Miasma made from prana? They drifted alongside it? A visible corruption of prana to the extent of affecting the nearby atmosphere? And they are clad with it...

"Wait, Issei!" But unable to clarify it, Issei plunged with his Sacred Gear activated, the loud sound of the Dragon dwelling within it resounding like a siren.

The figures looked at him, snarling as the miasma spread as if forming dark bat wings. They roared, their eyes murky red with instinctual savagery that I flinched a little...

It was then I understood. They're dangerous, far more dangerous than the usual Stray Devils.

" _Logic path \ open._ " I whispered as the keyword ignited my Magic Circuits through self-hypnosis.

The spell brought me to analyze the structure of the iron sword; a similar yet different sword given to me by Rider.

 _The sword was a simple western sword with a pommel, crafted from fine iron but built more to cleave than to slice. It was a tool with no desire, it's purpose either to protect or to harm._

"Issei!"

"Take this! Dragon Shot!"

Before I could reach the scene on time, a green blast of energy was shot from Issei's outstretched palm. The energy was like a focused, condensed prana that streaked through the air faster than an arrow and once touched, burst out as a small-scale explosion.

That... was... quite unexpected, I admit. Even the resulting damage was a small crater on the ground...

"Kieeeeehhhh!" Ah, two escaped, and they're heading in two different directions.

"Eii!" And Toujou entered the fray by sending a kick to knock off one of them.

Though I didn't hear nor sense her presence until then. Hum... she possessed a truly intriguing disposition, indeed. If only she wasn't averse of my presence.

"Nice pantyshot!" Issei suddenly yelled...

"What's 'pantyshot'?" I tilted my head once again for having heard of another foreign terminology.

Issei blinked, breathed in and seemed like he would answer but then Toujou sailed through the air, this time a straight punch hammered deep into her upperclassman's abdomen.

...friendly fire?

"Grrh...! Grrraaaaahh!" Ah. One is trying to run away.

"Crap! He's going to escape!" Issei cried out.

"My turn then." I leaped into action, closing the distance with several steps.

The Stray Devil shrieked when I slid forward to him, spinning during the process and swung the iron sword as if it was a great sword. The reinforced blade seared through the miasma through a combination of clashing properties as well as fierce winds but the Devil was barely scratched by the blade.

I clicked my tongue as my opponent stepped back, growled and flew above to avoid my range. In the next moment, several magic circles expanded around him, prana distorting and twisting as a crude spell was formed.

"Sieg!"

I grit my teeth as I avoided a rain of magical bullets. Their destructiveness was not much but the number was kind of irritating as it became hard for me to move around. Still I avoided most of them and blocked the rest with my magic resistance.

While I was about to launch myself for a counterattack, though, I heard something like wooden object snapping. I glanced to the side only to see Toujou lifting a small... tree... and... she threw it as if it was a javelin.

...ah, yes. These two are nonhumans. To be more precise, they are what many would call as the embodiment of sins known as Devils. I sometimes forgot that human limitation did not apply to them, and thus opted to fight like a human would.

"Gugeeehhh...?!" However, it proved to be most effective as the Stray Devil flopped down alongside the flying tree.

They both crashed and made disturbing sound with slight tremors. I was about to deal the finishing blow when I heard Issei shouting 'Dragon Shot!' for the second time.

"...ah. It sure burns well." I commented as the tree, the Stray Devil and a car burst in raging flames.

Hm? Whose vehicle was that? It looked brand new...

"Phew, that was close." Issei rubbed his forehead with his sleeve.

"Careless." Toujou chided and the boy winced.

Meanwhile, I was simply staring at the bonfire. Huh, was that all there is to this mission? While they posed a surprising resistance, but they looked like they were easy enough to be killed by even Issei. There was not even a need of me to be here... right?

Even so, the miasma they emitted... it was something I found somewhat familiar with. I was being cautious but maybe it was the correct move not to touch it directly. It was as if the prana around them was being corrupted...

"Ah." And then the Rook made a sound.

We both turned to meet her gaze. The girl squirmed a little, her expressionless face hard to read as always but the edge of her lips twitched, and she frowned.

"Only four..."

...and...?

"There should have been eight more around here." Toujou announced dryly.

...

I heard a series of feral growls.

"Now they are surrounding us." I sighed as I powered Reinforcement once again.

All three of us were making a small circle with our backs against each other. In front of us, with timely momentum, the odd Stray Devils approaching with smooth coordination in mind. While I was inclined to believe something was wrong with these crazed creatures, I prioritized my and my allies' situation. Indeed, with blind spots covered, we can at least anticipate the enemy movement somewhat but...

"...uhm. This might turn ugly." I voiced out my concern.

"Agreed." Toujou quipped.

And last of us, Issei screamed with teary eyes, "Of course it's going to be, dammit! Why did I waste my super attack earlier?!"

Oh? So that 'Dragon Shot' is not something you can launch freely? It seems that Sacred Gear has more limitations than I initially thought.

* * *

It's finally done.

I breathed out while shaking my head in exhaustion. It was by far the most arduous task I had to deal with in this dimension, hunting Stray Devils who could fly anywhere nearing the speed of sound, and capable of corrupting natural prana in the atmosphere. I was about to get annoyed by the entire thing had Toujou not knocked down the last batch of enemies with a rectangular steel box I came to identify as vending machine, allowing for a complete reversal of the situation.

Still, the ordeal has passed. We defeated the Stray Devils and there was no casualty. Once the bounded field was released, I exhaled as I slowly absorbed prana to recover what I lost during the hunt.

"Hey, Sieg! Catch!" I turned to the source of voice and raised my hand.

It caught a bottle of water. Looking at it, I then transferred my gaze to Issei who was sitting on a flight of stairs in front of an abandoned apartment building with Toujou and Argento, the two girls chatting in relaxation with a cup of warm tea in hands.

"Nice job earlier! You were a great help!" So the Sekiryuutei said cheerfully.

I tilted my head, "You did most of it, Issei. I didn't do anything much."

"Maa, I wanted to rush back home and finish that eroge Matsuda lent to me. Still, you held half of the enemy side by your own and you didn't get a scratch!" Issei raised a thumb up.

Well... common Magecraft, much less modern ones can never hurt me but after confronting Kokabiel, I could no longer be so careless. Being overly reliant was something I found as a nightmare when I first started my life as a Transcendent Kind. Also, the opponent match-up was the worst in this occasion.

"Hm?" And there it was, a sound that closely resembled to music blaring through the night.

There were even the beginning intro of a song sourced from a very familiar face. I swear dropped as I rummaged my trouser's pocket to pull out a small device.

"Ah, has it been this late?" I mused as I operated the smartphone carefully. Slow but surely getting something in my adaptation over modern civilization when I pressed the correct button. "Rider? Is something the matter?"

Before there was more inconvenience, I skipped the invoice of complaints and whatnot and proceeded to take the main issue. Looks like I will receive scolding once I returned but it was better since I didn't know when will the device stopped functioning. Knowing Rider using it as our main ranged communication basis, I have little doubt the delicate product of civilization would not last beyond a week.

"...I understand. Since it'll take a while to reach home, would you like to have dinner outside? Huh? You're cooking? Ah... un. I see. I get it. Very well, then." And the call ended.

I exasperated for a while. It's been a while ever since I have met him and Rider had taken me on a large stride as if I was a rucksack. He's certainly one Heroic Spirit that cannot be underestimated if left in-charge...

"...oy, Sieg."

Hm? I saw Issei hanging his head, his hair hiding his eyes as the air around him seemed to have... shifted?

"That... what was that call?" He asked.

I... tilted my head. "A friend."

"A friend at your house?" He deadpanned, "In that freakishly big mansion on the edge of the town?"

Hm... While I wasn't sure of what to say about Issei's impression, that mansion gifted upon me was something I was more or less uncomfortable with. Not only because of the size, but also because there was a small branch of the leylines pooling below it. It wasn't much compared to the source which resided at Kuoh Academy, but still there was more than enough to power several Summoning Rituals in succession.

I shook my head, feeling slight headache reaching to the crown of my head. Even for a gift, the Gremory Heiress truly didn't hold back in expending a massive sum of wealth. And apparently, the electricity, gas plus the water bill was paid in full by her house.

For someone who was born with nothing like me, the aforementioned things could no longer be acknowledged as anything other than excessive sign of gratitude, and I'm very troubled by its existence until now.

"...yes, Rider seems to want to prepare for our dinner tonight." I explained in bitter resignation, feeling it ironic that two beings that were no longer humans practiced humane behavior such as preparing and attending for dinner.

But I heard a choking sound as if someone's neck was crushed by monstrous grip. Issei turned out to be the source as he coughed hard like a strangled chicken before falling down the stairs. He got up only to kowtow at all fours as the air surrounding him turned darker within moments. Finally, he wailed as if it was the last thing he could do before experiencing tragic death's embrace.

"It must be a cheerful bishoujo with huge oppai from the sound of it...! Why!? Why is the world so unfair?! Damn you, you handsome bastaaaaarrrdd!"

...huh. I don't know what this 'bishoujo' is but Rider is undoubtedly a Ladies' Man. Oh, maybe it's related to that 'Harem' thing then? I better ask him later as I have yet to understand the concept fully.

* * *

There were things said and things I have to consider at times.

Though I sometimes wondered if my lack of experience in communicating with human or anything close to it was a factor in my clueless state, some ignorance or empty desire in comprehending perhaps paved the way which led to unresolved misunderstanding. One of the results being how Toujou acted around my presence and how the Phoenix affair came to be.

But some said ignorance is a bliss, so what can I say to defend myself then?

"...living as a human is certainly a difficult thing." I mused quietly as I went past another intersection to reach my... house, if I could call it as one.

After all, when I arrived in front of the gate, I was greeted with a tall and imposing two-story western mansion eerily resembling a castle that would suit Lancer of Black's taste very much.

Especially the overgrown maple trees in the front yard. I wonder if I can request for a gardener's help about it...

"Ah. But, there's already a small lake and another garden at the back. One helping hand is certainly not enough." I remarked before groaning, "...several must be hired but I lacked the fund to pay them."

One of the important matters I came to understand was how modern civilization relied on money and materials. While I certainly saw the values and roles of it in living, I recognized that some objects with high prices seemed to have little use in the long run. And yet, there were those who supported in advocating the product so that many would buy them.

"The oddity is how many seemed to be convinced. Why is that?" I asked nobody in particular as I bypassed a boundary field which permitted my existence as it's creator in, and waltzed to the front door adorned with a doorknob designed from the head of a lion.

Knocking on the door four times with adjusted strength for each try, I delivered the code to the sole inhabitant of the mansion other than I, and he seemed to have received it as I heard sounds of footsteps getting louder from within.

With a slam, one pink-haired Heroic Spirit in casual outfit and an apron appeared in the doorstep.

"Yahoo, Master! Welcome back!" Rider exclaimed with a wide smile.

I was about to smile and to reply but the Servant gasped, muttered 'sorry, wrong words!' and shut the door back. I paused a bit but then I heard him telling me to open the door so I opened it...

"E-hem!" One Rider muttered with a sweet voice as she tilted her head, her body squirming shyly that it seemed as if the apron he wore was emphasized. Rose red painted her cheeks as she muttered with unparalleled honeyed words, "Welcome back, dear~ Would you like dinner first? Or take a bath? Or... _me?_ "

...I shall refrain on answering him this time. Or rather...

"Rider. Have you cooked dinner yet?"

He squealed, and grinned mischievously. "So dinner first? Then could it be bath is second? Then the third must be the main event! Oh, Sieg you lady-killer...!"

I frowned somewhat. "I haven't done anything to earn such ominous title, didn't I?"

"Maa, that's just a figure-of-speech. Don't sweat the small stuff." Rider flatly replied.

I sighed slightly as my Servant dragged me into the mansion and to the dining hall. Compared to the Yggdmillennia castle, torches and Homunculi Servants were not present. Only lamps and chandeliers powered by electricity existed as both Rider and I were not averse to civilization unlike Magi were.

Regardless, having only one company while sitting in a luxurious chair, with long dining table laid before my eyes gave a somewhat lonely impression. Had I not summoned Rider, I'd have thought I returned to the Reverse Side of the World with mere change of scenery in effect.

Although... "How was work today? Did you have fun? I heard you made some friends! Isn't that good for you, Sieg? Un, pretty sure it's great improvement!"

"Rider..." I exhaled as I took a pair of chopsticks in my hand, fumbling slightly as Rider instructed me how to use the eastern utensils in dining, "please leave that after dinner."

Perhaps a sudden change from eternal solitude into rowdy and talkative company turned to be a bad idea? I could see that I've done well enduring but as expected, understanding the meaning of loneliness and indulging oneself in it for eons seemed to have caused a certain fondness over such depressive aspect. Solitude is not something that could be shared, and for mortals, it was not something they could survive with.

Because the heart would break from the pressure. Because the degree of emotions built up without flowing or being touched by someone else would kill them from the inside. Because humans were never meant to exist all alone lest they go mad.

That was how powerful solitude could be.

"Hey, Master. So how's it?" After the modest dinner, I looked at Rider who had disrobed his apron and had watched me eating.

I wondered what he meant. It wasn't like there's something important to do and it's not like I have done something. Other than... ah, is it about the meal? Even if I were asked about how it tasted, I could only tilt my head as food does not count as something fulfilling. After all, I live by absorbing prana in the atmosphere through breathing, but if I were to consider my previous origin...

"It's good." I replied shortly.

It was edible, and had balanced nutritional values. While it didn't have strong advantage, the dinner was more or less palatable for general consumers.

"Heh he~ Is that so? That's nice to hear, yo, Master!" And Rider leaped to tidy the dishes, skipping to the kitchen before returning with a porcelain tea set.

After we respectively had our own teacup filled to the brim, it was time for the regular exchange only a Master and Servant would do. That is...

"And so, the Strategy Meeting begins!" Rider cheerfully announced. "Me first! This world is awesome!"

"As much as I'd like to agree, can you elaborate on that front, Rider?" I quizzed.

The Servant put a thoughtful looks and began pointing out the details with his fingers. "Let's see... There's the sparkling town, the stores that have definitely cute things and young beautiful ladies to woo! And they're wearing stylish clothes!"

...ah, so he really intended to check on how modern society worked out. I shook my head lightly; as expected of Rider, he never cared about anything such as the importance of being summoned as a Servant.

"Other than that?" I asked.

"Hmm, I must say I'm surprised that the Age of God's still going on and that the likes of Devils and Fallen Angels are abound." He rubbed his chin with complacent mood.

I guess that was because he's a Paladin, a christian even. Although rather than being hostile with Devils because he was a follower of a religion, he was simply reactive to their presences on an instinctual level. To prevent unnecessary misunderstandings and troubles, I also instructed him to not jump in every opportunity since the Devils around here were my acquaintances; not potential enemies in the class of Demons said to be capable of generating their own Reality Marble.

"Well, since there's lots of fun things to do, I think it's fine for both us. Oh! But that doesn't count compared to how I could meet you again, Sieg!" Rider added cheerfully.

I smiled warmly. "thank you, but that's not the point right? Can you sense anything about _them?_ "

Rider shook his head. "If it's about other Servants, nu-uh. This town is pretty much whitish clean from Magi or Servants. Probably even the Holy Grail too."

Probably huh... I'm quite sure Assassin would no doubt stay under detection so expecting them was like expecting a storm seven days prior the event. Still... Rider possessed a bulk of Noble Phantasms, one of them enabling him to dispel any Magecraft below A-Rank with extreme ease. If even that did not react then...

"Can we assume that there's no society of Magi in this dimension's Japan, or that they are extremely well-concealed not even Devils are aware of their existence?" I theorized.

"Of course not. If Magi can do that then they wouldn't have to worry about butting head with the church about a magical cup." Rider commented with a shrug. "But why bother? Master, you don't have any interest in fighting another Holy Grail War right? Heck, the biggest Grail was abducted by you to the Land No Man Can ever Reaches so I'm pretty sure nobody here knows of it! Other than the thing used in Son of God's crucifixion, that is."

True enough. The founding families of Magi that created the Holy Grail War system were the Einzbern, the Matou family and the Tohsaka family. They were an odd case where they agreed in cooperating for the sake of rediscovering one of the True Magics - the Heaven's Feel. A powerful Sorcery lording over control of the insubstantial thing which was the soul. But at some point, the core of the ritual, the Greater Grail was stolen by Yggdmillenia 6 years before the second World War.

The Great Holy Grail War erupted years later. It was a frontal war between the Mage Association against the Yggdmillennia clan. While there was no large effects on the common people, the gruesome reality where champions of myths clashed against each other scarred the land, birthed chaos and inadvertently allowed the creation of aberrations like me.

And yet, even as the selfish Magi fought, one particular Heroic Spirit decided that the fate of humanity was his to judge and proceeded with his own agenda for the sake of 'blessing humanity with salvation'.

"...Sieg. Your face looks scary."

I was snapped from my thoughts by Rider, the Heroic Spirit staring with worried expression that I was familiar with. I touched my cheek, feeling the muscles tensing without my awareness, and acknowledged what emotion had currently.

Anger. Frustration. It could be even said that I was agitated after recollecting my earliest memories, a past that was both hateful as well as most precious to me.

"You know. Isn't it better if you don't involve yourself with the Moonlit World again?" Rider suddenly suggested.

I lost my bearing and craned my head to meet his gaze. "Why?"

The Servant fiddled with his braided hair before answering. "You overdid it before. Even though you gained the right to live peacefully, you still came back to participate for the sake of your comrades. Ah, no, that's a noble goal alright but you kept on being reckless with how you fulfill the goal, like confronting that Red Saber with simple enchanted sword."

 _That was utterly suicidal,_ Rider noted, his voice cracking in grave anxiety and concerns. Even so, I noticed that the Heroic Spirit genuinely cared for my well-being, his extreme kindness displayed as he listed the many actions I undertook for the sake of ending the Great Holy Grail War at least a second faster.

"Sure Siegfried expected your fate to become harsher but that doesn't mean you have no choice! It's fine to run away you know? If you're alive, then...!"

"You'd die with your previous Master, Rider. No, you would die, slain by Mordred on that hill."

 _I know._

I understood what he meant. Rider simply obeyed my wish, my desire to be saved and to survive. As a Hero, he was one pure Paladin that even with failures and burdens chipping his path, he would simply fly through them all to achieve what he wanted to do. An utterly irresponsible, immature Heroic Spirit.

Still he was a Hero, one with a heroic heart that allowed him to attain the Throne of Heroes regardless of his many failures. Even if without his Noble Phantasms, without his tamed Phantasmal Beasts, or even without his luck...

Rider crafted his legend because of _who he is._ Because that kind heart of his guided him to his current position.

And so... "I... back there, I fought for my brethren. But when I fought, I took up your sword, battling with the belief that a Homunculus possessed no shred of life to risk for. Until the end of the War, a part of me believed that this life has no meaning, therefore, what I did could not even be described as 'risking my life'."

I pressed a hand on my chest, on top of the place my heart resided in. Thump, it resounded, the Spiritual Core implanted within me resonated as I felt something weighing my entire being. Was it pressure? Was it fear? No... it's nothing but a simple burden all life carried.

 _The burden for having to live._

"Had you not been there. Had Ruler not been there. Had Saber of Red not insulted me, chiding my method with furious beating... I would not have doubted that belief. I would not have desired to change myself, to dream of seeing another path." I looked up and met Rider's gaze with fondness. "It was because all of you that I could stop becoming empty. To become myself. To be 'Sieg' not only on the outside but the inside as well. I am eternally grateful to all of you for that."

"Sieg..."

"That's why I will not run away. I am already selected, therefore I will make sure to see through this new War from the beginning until the end. To honor this name, to honor my memories and our bonds, also to ensure that I am capable of fulfilling my own promise no matter where I go to."

In order to accomplish all that...

"I will fight, Rider. And should the Grail is once again used to threaten the future, then I too shall exhaust all efforts to destroy it, if not carry it to the Reverse Side of the World."

No matter how many times. No matter how long my next solitude will be...

I have long resolved myself to be the forbidden treasure's Guardian. A Dragon who carries both the blood and the curse of Fafnir.

"...Uuu..."

Hm? I stared at the trembling Rider. I wasn't sure why he did that but... could it be that he's angry? Huh, isn't this bad-

"So... unfair...! Since when did you look so Heroic like that, Sieg?!" Rider cried out, then pounced to hug my head tightly.

I wasn't able to anticipate that. Dear Gaia, as if I could expect any reasonable action ordinary people would do from Rider. And from the voice... rather than cries of anguish or something similar, it was closer to a theatrical, if not immense joy...?

"Ri, der...?" I gasped out but the Servant rubbed his chin on my shoulder and nape as he laughed.

"Right right! That's good to hear! Though I'm still worried about you joining another War again, at least you have some good motivations to do that! Last time was allowed since you seemed fixated on Ruler but this is a nice change of pace! No, even greater than before! Siegfried should've heard that all! I'm sure he'd be really proud of you!" Rider shouted as he wriggled.

But of course, the chair was never meant to hold two adults in so when I heard the creaking sounds, it was already too late to prevent the mishap. A mishap which was the fall of the chair from being rattled and over-weighted to one side.

As the world tilted backward, I took the brunt by receiving Rider's body from the front and the impact on my back. With loud crash and we were both sprawled on the waxed wooden floor, our legs entangled with Rider groaning as he raised his upper body up.

Our gazes met each other.

"...ah... aha ha haa... Oops?" My Servant muttered.

"...I see. Not even a month yet one furniture has already been broken. As expected of Rider." I commented critically.

"Ugh! That wasn't my intention though?!" Rider shouted in protest.

Un. I can tell. It's just...Hmm... how should I put it?

"You will support me then, Rider?" I asked as the light from chandeliers were obscured by Rider's shadow.

He paused. With his arms pinning the sides of my head, he slowly formed a confident but carefree grin, one that could easily be mistaken as an expression of a maiden in love.

"Of course! I wouldn't have it the other way, Master!" He answered.

So he exclaimed. And thus the contract is finalized fully. A confirmation of wills between a Master and a Servant. A united front to fight. An objective that must be achieved.

I observed his face. His clear intention. Clarifying the will contained in that joyful expression before nodding slowly.

"Thank you. I'm counting on you, Rider." I told him with sincerity.

"Leave it to me!" He pounded his small fist on his chest.

Thus the night ended in such merry mood.

* * *

"By the way..." I stalled as I lifted the broken chair and stored it away. "Other than spending the day in the city, did you find anything else worthy to note for? I think your Class-Piece went missing ever since I summoned you."

"Oh!" Rider pounded a fist on his palm, then... he blanked out. "Uh, what's this Class-Piece by the way? Was I summoned by something so random like that?"

...un. As I thought, other than things that interested him, nothing could ever be remembered by him. His Personal Skill perhaps can already be considered as a two fold Curse...

Still, what a shame. I almost thought it was because of that Class-Piece that I could summon a Servant. If it's truly gone just like that, maybe the Class-Pieces were truly a set of pranks set by someone with ill taste of humor.

"Then again, how did I receive them and from who?"

* * *

While fixing the dimensional gaps, one True Dragon sneezed, his power went in a tangent that it weakened some spots he just repaired. Inevitably, they broke down and his recent achievements turned into useless messy crumbs like a castle of cards blown by the wind.

 _"...!"_

The Dragon of Dragons roared in his first anguish.

* * *

It wasn't until the next weekend did I settle to buy some furniture including utensils, additional clothes and weekly supply. As I had been saving money by participating in Stray Devils Hunting, I earned myself quite a large sum for a dragon with obscure origin.

Of course, the first thing I did was to buy a cover. Thankfully, the mansion didn't count else I'd have to involve myself with native laws and jurisdictions that might lead to the inquiry over my presence in this town. To negotiate with Sitri was also difficult since she seemed to like prying on small unimportant hints that may be linked up as vivid frame of my activity as well as motives.

I guess it was the correct move to acquire the information regarding the shady dealer rather than asking for said cover from the Devil herself.

"Still... Rider, you didn't need to accompany me, right?" I stared at my cheerful Servant who skipped ahead before me.

He was wearing the same purple hoodie, tank top, black skirts, thigh highs and high-heeled boots. As he stopped midway through, he turned to me, leaning down with an ear-to-ear grin that seemed to be capable of exorcising any ill thought.

"Come on, Sieg! All we did was working throughout the entire week so cut some slacks already! The shop is that corner right?!" He rushed back and grasped my wrist, pulling me with his skill 'Monstrous Strength' on to drag me further.

I heard giggles and grunts from the people around. I glimpsed adults who shook their heads and smiling wryly. I saw teenage students huddled together as they enjoyed their selves by watching us. I heard several who grunted in mild irritation. And I noticed three cloaked persons entering an alley, two of them having elongated objects clothed by a shroud I was familiar with.

Still - there were many people. I didn't know a town could flourish like this. I never thought that humans varied this much, intermingling in a crowd while wearing their hearts on their sleeves. Unlike in Trifas, the life here was lively beyond comparison.

And it was vibrant with various emotions of all kinds that painted the town atmosphere with dazzling impression.

"Hurry up, Sieg! The store's having a special sale today!" Rider urged me, and I smiled as I raised my pace, and stopped being dragged by the Heroic Spirit.

I walked alongside him. I lived with him at this moment. I am here with everyone who are living their own life with their own methods. Then I recalled.

A future where this ever-changing scenery continues on and on... even with the clouds of meaningless end seen at the distant horizon, it will continue to goes on like droplets of rain that will flow to join with the ocean.

Yes. This is why I am fighting, isn't it?

"Ah, that's right!" Rider cried out as his hood fell over his back, and he turned his head toward me.

I glanced back at him as we were in the store and were trying to compare between having a similar chair or another type which would make it very out-of-place if it were placed in the dining hall.

"What is it, Rider?" I asked, feeling mildly curious as well as half-expectant of his remembrance.

While he could be forgetful and unable to keep secrets in, he has a fairly unique instinct and had an appropriate timing to disclose important fact. Pressing him for information was of course useless but due to how clean the town we were in from Magi and Heroic Spirits, I was also inclined to take it slowly.

And so I waited while the Servant narrowed his eyes, placing a finger on his chin as he leaned forward as if scrutinizing the furniture before his eyes. His act was obviously poor but his keen eyes delivered urgency that I didn't notice he was using the telepathic link exclusive to participants of Holy Grail War.

Rider said this with a tone sounding grave importance, _"Master, I can no longer shift into spiritual form!"_

* * *

 **~Author's Rambling~  
**

 _"It really is amazing to see how the stats of this story grows. Simply marvelous...!"_

Thank you for the continuous supports. I'm feeling very glad publishing this story now!

So. I can't help but saying apology for the poor quality of this chapter. Somehow, it's very hard to connect the dots together with canon while relating it with Sieg's view. After all, it's just so damn hard to picture him having a goal and living a daily life. This Homunculus seriously has no sense-of-self that it became harder for me to track how he would cope in special situations.

But that's what makes writing Sieg fun as hell!

Maa, other than the seemingly lackluster SoL, there are foreshadowings at some parts. Make sure you noticed them or you'll have a difficult time in following the story in a much later development. Also, are you surprised about the revelation Rider said? And by the way, how far is the range of Holy Grail War when a participant is chosen with Command Spells? Is it the entire country or just a town like in FSN?

* * *

 **~Servant's Selection~**

Surprisingly, there's a sudden change of tide in the selection. Let's try giving a commentary about the progress of the competition! The guests stars will be these three!

Taiga (dressed with formal hakama when practicing kendo): "Helllloooooo everyone out there~! Taiga-sensei is once again back in this super Tiger Dojo! Crossover edition!"

Illya (same ol' PE uniform and bloomer): "Huh?! Wait, why are _we_ here when the main genre is Apocrypha-*SMACK!-owwie?!"

Taiga: "You broke the fourth wall this early, Disciple Number One!"

Illya: "Egh... I thought we're already done with this..."

Taiga: "No, Illya-chan! Since someone out there in the internet suggested using dialogues to explain the selection, of course our Dojo becomes the best option!"

Illya: "But isn't this supposed to be a place where Onii-chan can escape the lots of Bad Ends!? Why do we have to assist someone else who's not Onii-chan-*BAM!*-gyah!?"

Taiga: "All is fair in love and war! *dramatic* Continuing on, Chloe-chan, please follow up since Illya-chan must retire for now."

Chloe (same bloomer and PE uniform): "*sweating heavily* R-right. Uff, thankfully we're in some other Nexus so the damage isn't feeding back to me. Well... the Selection comes with... interesting and deadly choices. Seriously, what the heck?"

Taiga: "Umu. **Jekyll** -san as the Berserker somehow topped in the first place with 37 votes. He's one kind man though a bit weak-willed." *doing practice shinai swinging in the background*

Chloe: "Uh? Isn't he a murderer when **Hyde** took control? Won't there be serial murder case in Kuoh?"

Taiga: "Aha ha haa! He wouldn't dare if **Nobunaga** -chan is chosen as the Archer but then again, Sieg is a dragon. Can he even beat a dragon?"

Chloe: "...you're right. Sheesh, this guy is even more of a freak than Onii-chan put in Heaven's Feel route. Ah, but Drei's Onii-chan is somehow a lot more heroic that he took up chapters just to recount his legend."

Taiga: "As expected of Shirou! I've raised him right!"

Chloe: "He almost died countless times and imprisoned though...?"

Taiga: "Next up!"

Chloe: "Ah, yes. Second in place is **Tamamo** -san with 34 votes... Uwah, a Caster with Japanese origin. Isn't this bad?"

Taiga: "Eh, her Territory Creation is bad. But it's not like the story is going to make it only in Japan right?"

Chloe: "Right. Drag her outside the country and she's as useless as ever. Then **Nobunaga** -chan with 25 votes... Y'know, **Arjuna** -san is close behind her with 22 votes but the popular choices are mainly because she's 'interesting' and 'can one-shot everyone'."

Taiga: "*nod nod* Why not throw Mitsuhide in then? Pretty sure even the Demon King will run away from him."

Chloe: "Ah, Honnouji huh? And she can't keep up with Heroic Spirits from the Common Era so the likes of Cao Cao can have a full-go against her."

Taiga: " **Atalanta** -chan is third in-line now with 17 votes though. That's quite a lot setback."

Chloe: "Her fault for always running late."

(at the Throne of Heroes...)

Atalanta: "Ungh... Someone is spouting ill of me."

Jeanne: "Now, now! It must be your imagination!"

(back to Tiger Dojo)

Taiga: "Eeei! This is getting nowhere! That's Three Big so it's enough right!?"

Chloe: "Why did you snap?!"

*the sound of a demonic tiger roars from the distance*

Chloe: "Hii!? Alright alright! Fine! **Paracelsus** -san is on ties with **Arjuna** -san! **Jeanne** -san has even number of 20, **Nightingale** -san with 18 votes! As for the Assassins... uh, huh?"

Taiga: "*blinks twice, then thrice more* Oh, hello there, little girl. What are you doing here all alone?"

Jack-ko: "...mother?"

Chloe: "Gyah!? How did this one enter the Dojo!? Oh, wait, she's got a 18 votes so she's the likeliest Assassin to be summoned!"

Taiga: "Oho ho...! I'm too young for being a mother but come here, you cute thing!"

Jack-ko: "Mother...!"

*Taiga hugs Jack tightly and the little girl replies the same*

Chloe: "*staring with half-closed eyes* ...Fujimura-sensei, she's a serial murderer with high tendency on killing women. Oh, whatever. Meanwhile **Shuten** -san is second with 14 votes, and **X** -san is for some reasons have one vote empty to match the drunken oni. That's it for now folks!"

* * *

 **R. A. C!  
**

1000people: Thank you. Your word alone already meant another increase for her selection you know?

Zenkai52: While you can indeed vote for those ones, Solomon is a Grand Servant so he's out of the bounds of this story. Sorry, but he's way too OP and too much of a character to handle.

etheral-23: Yes. Now enjoy this more and offer your feedback to me!

blarg7865: As a matter of fact, yes. I intend to explore every main cast as much as I can so that the Servants don't look as 'mere tag-along party'. Then I'd have to fix the previous chapters again huh...? Then again, I can see Rin doing the impossible but Shirou is still around...? Ah, maybe because he already had Magic Circuits so his previous family was probably Magus then.

Necrodragon2020: Mmm... not that I'm against it but there's just so much to use from ongoing materials. FGO is especially harder since I can't even read proper kanji to save my life. It'd have been good to understand if there were more inklings about her speech or behavior but the game scenario and dialogue is rather straightforward, that selecting different choice would lead only to subtle divergence over the plot. Still, it's an interesting idea so I at least will put it in consideration.

Jigentou: Umu, I understand that well. The hard thing begins when two plots conflicted together and made a mess to be solved. My real fight starts now so wish me luck.

00Altair: The original novel prioritized a story big enough to have dozens of characters popping up, but not enough build up so of course the characterization felt... bland. I'm of the same opinion. Also, it's probably because I'm using first-person narrative to incite emotions. Unlike third-person narrative, first-person requires direct view from the head of someone from beginning to the end so it's better suited for a more personal characterization.

DocSlendy: Is it to your liking then? If it is then good to know!

GreyJedi449t: Umu. Here's the new chapter.

T-B-R: Indeed, a route has just opened... though I wonder why some started to put up voice for Shielder? Is she popular or something?

Master of Dragons God: Thanks for the words~

Victory3114: Well, so many mysteries to uncover, aren't they? And Mo-san will certainly find her way to the DxDverse, not to worry~ It's her turn after all.

RedRat8: Yay! Even in FGO, Astolfo's CV is as laidback as (s)he is!

j: Well, his trauma will probably worsen when Sieg showed his true form. But I'll open the can of worms later to make the strongest blow for everyone!

NoName: *+1 for mentioned Servant(s)*

TroublesomeGuest: Ah, so everyone really has been smitten. No wonder the scale literally slid to the ground... *deep sigh* Maa, your reasons are acceptable. I'm not too leery with any of them though X will probably need some deterrent so that she won't go off for a Saber-killing spree.

King0fP0wers: Un~ That's good to hear, then! Well, the ranks have yet to be determined since the full list is not fixed yet. But of course, Rider is more like a Knight though he doesn't really look like it. I mean, other than his luck and collection of NPs, his stats are technically upper second-rate, as his bio in material reference explained. Then again, stats aren't much of use in a world without Collective Wills though I still intend to stay true to their descriptions. So... maybe placed at New Ultimate Devil-class? Probably? Brynhildr doesn't look like she can fare well in long-term combats with her position as a Queen of Iceland. And her second NP... meh, I haven't seen it. If it's too hax then I'll search for its utter repellant. Don't worry about the mistaken name. I kind of understood when I realized her role in FGO.

ZJ: Umu, while I have got nothing to say about your reason, at least it's not ridiculous. Well, take your time since choices for Assassin are only half compared to those vying for Servant Archer so Assassin will probably appear the last.

The Fool: Yeah, it kind of looked generic if viewed from other perspective. Looks like I still have rooms to grow. And about memories, le secret~ But it'd be a nightmare if Heroic Spirits were reborn through Reincarnation System. Civilization will crumble in seven days and nights though the ensuing chaos may work for plot's favor! Btw, I don't write characters in a one-dimensional way. That's not my forte.

Oblivion: Like I said... Grand Servants aren't included in Servants Selection so you've got nothing to worry about Solomon! Ordinary copy of Heroic Spirits already caused a city be burned down so what do you think will happen if the likes of True Heroic Spirits with their original powers released can do!? Honestly, Nasu-sensei took it too far since if the Heroic Spirits are truly like what he said, then it's no wonder Gaia is pissed off over humanity in general. Heroes really don't care about collateral damages huh?

Guest-san: Umu... I intend to fit in the characters without much nonsense after all. It's already enough that there's a device that can power up endlessly as long as a strong will drives it and DxD has much shenanigans I couldn't grasp the author's common sense at all. A little logic won't hurt right? And, if Shirou Kotomine's side were to appear then another Great Grail War is going to be an official thing in DxDverse. That's one pot of hell worms for you.

michael: *+1 for mentioned Servant(s)*

Snorlax-kun: I wonder if Dress Break can affect Rider? It'll be funny if Issei attempted it only for the world-crushing shock. And *+1 for mentioned Servant(s)*

Thunder Dragon: But what's ironic is one is a being who was created solely as a supplier of mana without his own heart. If Sieg himself doesn't understand the concept of life (cue first clash against Saber of Red), then how do you think he can understand what 'love' is? Wonder how will Brynhildr cope with that kind of incomplete person who has big resemblance with her lost lovers... As for your questions:

1\. Mm, I haven't read about her complete profile so the answer will have to wait.

2\. Astolfo played a big role in nurturing Sieg, you know? Not about his messed up mental tendencies but more to growth as a person. In canon, he showed how a hero is, how it feels to have a friend and how to have fun in life be it during or outside life-death situations. Those are pretty much something an extremely kind person would do and to Sieg, he's probably what can be considered closest to ' older brother' or 'guardian' figure for our Homunculus.

3\. I admit, I haven't thought of that in concrete details. While Astolfo is indeed a christian, I haven't read over his faith or devotion to his belief in canon so those are dark waters for me to swim across. Meanwhile, Sieg is an extremely logical person so he wouldn't understand completely how Mordred felt, and simply chalked it up with confronting her directly to ensure nothing happening to his friends.

4\. Well, per tradition, harem is going to happen considering one of the Servants, Brynhildr will be automatically in love with Sieg once they exchanged gazes. Even scarier is how Sieg has the heart of Siegfried...

LL: First of all, Ophis will notice Sieg is not a pure dragon born from swirls of power. And that may lead to the revelation of his true identity since our loli dragon god has nothing like a sense to read the air...! *shock!*

Shaker: Thank you for the words. And honestly, Sieg has never even met a normal average person other than Caules in his life. What's worse, his first direct talk was with the blabbermouth Astolfo!

tobi: Sure.

Rangle: I wouldn't say that's a good method in writing crossover. Other than the demands of the mass to not have useless MC that can only speak, Sieg's power level is at least E-ranked Heroic Spirit for having the heart of Siegfried alone. Your grammar is excellent for being a fellow Indonesian, by the way.

Student: Umu, it's pretty well-done (pun intended) huh? Your explanation makes me wanting to write a small omake (like a Tiger Dojo) about the selection. Maybe styling it like Carnival Phantasm can work... Still, misunderstandings are abound if people stayed cryptic over things.

blarg7865: He can

CCG's Ninja: Umu! And this chapter coincidentally answers your hope about the lodging issue!

KILLAH OHPA: As a matter of fact, Florence's gun is a syringe gun. Traditional, early generation that has various issues and has big needle...! Muahahaaaa! E-hem! Now here *+1 for mentioned Servant(s)*

Bhavin: *+1 for mentioned Servant(s)*

hyperlunatic: Rider is just that much of a lucky charm. Even the author started to forget his gender midway through the series. But if Nightingale was chosen, Issei would suffer the most. Her excuse would be: "Too many hormones. Gotta fix him back up."

Ore wa Gest-kun: Attacking without any word is a douchebag's move. And there may be chaos!

Deep Sea Diver Man: Ah, that's quite an interesting set of choices. Umu. *+1 for mentioned Servant(s)*

Suzululu4moe: And Issei will soon crack...! Nah, a joke. He probably would claw his head while cursing God though... wait, God is dead in DxD! So who's to blame then!?

rabbitpoop: Uhm... I chose to stay true with his etymology so he's 10-winged. About the servants... *raises an eyebrow* Wow, quite unique selection. But Avenger Angra Mainyu has the body of Shirou so 0 can never be 1.

cooking samurai: Well, I prefer fresh air once in a while after all. Why not make one if there's nothing else? *+1 for mentioned Servant(s)*

Gabriel790: Thanks for the praise~

LastEncore: Uhm... that's the highest praise I've ever heard. DLH is already a godly work after all. And yes, Sieg really needs some help before everything went out-of-the-whack.

Mr. Tanaka: Very well then *+1 for mentioned Servant(s)*

RandomBoredGuy: Phantasmal Beasts have their own pride after all. But in this case, it worked for Astolfo's favor as he got on a more casual ground with Sieg by drowning. So yeah, it's a blessing-in-disguise. Apology for the mixed name. I switched the role too far with Hyde and Jekyll alone as a guideline. Turns out it's Jekyll and Hyde huh? About Brynhildr though... I, didn't know she's submissive in front of Jeanne. How did that happen?

Lao GMail: Got it *+1 for mentioned Servant(s)*

KHL: Good to hear you like it! *+1 for mentioned Servant(s)*

withdrawnmadness000: Saber first~ After that is unknown though. Might as well pull a proper poll this time. And the secret will be revealed when the time comes! Though if I read the PS, I realized: you're pretty evil. No wonder your name mirrors your words.

Kamico-chan: A nice idea. How about this then?

KxK: If I have the time and inspiration though. I'll hold on the idea for now.

Erastone: As much as I'd like to protest, the vision is becoming too real to happen!

eternal infinity: Thank you for the words~

Knight of Steam: Ah, I can see that now. It's just the selection sometimes perplexed me for the heck of it.

the Pumpkin King: Ah, the woe of the late-runners. The game's on for a while now so may your choices be brought to life.

Zj: A sound explanation. If so, who will you choose for the seat of Assassin?

Myself Yourself: Because Brynhildr is practically 'conditioned' as a damsel in distress. It's a bit of shame since I began to doubt whether or not her love appeared due to her situation or because of her will sometimes. But the wish for someone's happiness is not a wrong thing.

hp fan: Yesh... try to summon him through a fallen tooth or something. Shielder... uhm, if FGO is finished, maybe the model can become a proper Heroic Spirit. And one Trihexa is more than enough of a problem. Why add more when in DxD, the real deal with its full power unadultered means absolute doom.

Haunted Ground: I don't know her Noble Phantasm so I'll check on it. If it's really as useless as you said, then that's good since Heroic Spirits are capable of curbstomping most DxD casts in early volumes.

FINAL Boss: Bonus volumes of DxD can act as original arc so that's a fine idea.

ZJ: Fumu, a plausible plan indeed. *+1 for mentioned Servant*

Blue Bragon: Glad you're enjoying it then.

ariboku34: Don't mind. I'm not a native english speaker either. I'm more inclined to 'find your own way' to keep the originality for Sieg's power up. *+1 for mentioned Servant*

A FAN: Thank you for the encouraging words. And yeah, I've read Apocrypha and Strange Fake. Both have their own perks though Apocrypha seemed a little... I dunno, bland in overall graphic quality? Somehow, after reading manga version of FSN, my expectation got too high when wanting to read other derivative works.

VulpineSnow: Feast your eyes for the stormbringer!

exillion: Sorry, friend. The majority won this time and there'll be no challenge if Karna appeared.

Azum: Umu, I'm still finding how to tweak the balance should she be chosen.

xxOblivionxxx: Sieg has Siegfried's Spiritual Core after all... and he can transform temporarily. Meanwhile, I'm dealing with her if she's chosen. If you don't want her ruining the story, why not tempt the others to vote for different Archer. Maybe Atalanta?

Mard Geer: Oh, so you think I'm going to stick Sieg's entourage from Fate as the only characters from Fateverse till the end?

Noah: I'm the type of 'writing on the fly' so I haven't thought about it very much. I happened to have written ending for Jeanne's route though.

Gar for Archer: Funny how I imagined it every time I write battle scene. Sieg versus Siegfried eh...? That's one cheap charade if the King of Heroes ever witnessed it.


	8. Chapter 7 - Cruel Coincidence

**UPDATE 10/9/2016:** Fixed things up.

* * *

"...Rider. Tell me, since when did you notice that you can no longer turn into astral form?" I asked, concern seeped from every word conveyed in the telepathic link. "Rather than that, when did you feel the change?"

Of course I tried to set aside the lingering effect of unnatural flow of prana in the air. After those people with holy shrouds and cloaks, I thought Rider was simply trying to keep me out from confronting the possible supernatural threats in broad daylight. The last thing we needed was a riot and the townspeople did not commit any sin to deserve utter extermination carried be it by the Mage Association or the Church.

Hearing my questions, Rider put his index finger on his chin as he looked up at the ceiling.

"Well, I felt cold from being drenched even though I'm a Heroic Spirit. I also got slightly drunk after sweeping fifty Russian wines in. Oh, they were pretty strong alright but don't try it. Then when I entertained several ladies some night ago, pretty sure I could feel my urges rising up above usual. Oh, wait, not that I'm cheating but sometimes there are things to do Master. Oh, and also, I needed to go to the restroom!" Rider explained so quickly I almost didn't catch them all.

...Still, aren't those traits...

"Is it the same case like Ruler? Did you possess someone when I summoned you to avoid frictions with Gaia?" I pointed out.

Rider paused, then pushed a chair before sitting in it and running his hand on the armrest.

"Nah," he replied, "Pretty sure I would have another me inside me. But that ain't happening so either I devoured the entire personality or..."

"You earned a new flesh through some methods such as Holy Grail or True Magic..." I pursed my lips at the notion of my friend being subjected to those forbidden Sorcery without his consent. "Did it affect you in some ways? The change, that is."

Even though I was completely concerned by the revelation, my Servant simply smiled from the chair as he looked up; it was a honest, carefree smile.

"Not to worry, Sieg. I'm still myself so other than my mortality and body limitations, I can't disappear without leaving a corpse!" He said.

...truly...? I could only suppress my grimace with a forced smile. After all, I knew nothing about the physiology of a Heroic Spirit and Gaia knows well that her Mystery is her own to reveal. Whatever change affected Rider, I am certain that there could only be one way to find out.

"Rider," I called out, "Stay put for now."

The Servant tilted his head. Meanwhile, I breathed out, in and out for several times. I have never tried this method so I was peering into the abyss. Even so...

" _Logic path/open_ " A hammer fired down and lit the Magic Circuits within me.

I concentrated. I chose one spell that seemed so basic it was nothing but that. Even with such simple spell, I could still discern the base materials of a glass wall dozen centimeters thick, rewriting them, altering the prison into a frail, weak and decaying woods that even the limb of a baby was capable of destroying.

And so I opened my eyes wide, focusing my gaze to analyze the Heroic Spirit before my eyes.

Through the clothes and skin, the flesh and organs, bones and nerves... All the way to the foundation of his existence - the soul. I exerted all my efforts to piece together the swelling information in moments, dividing the blocks while scrutinizing deeper into Rider.

His flesh and blood was real, but rather than resembling human's... It's as if they had more 'solidity', as if... hm, they look the same but fundamentally different in essences. I analyzed deeper and I found out that his Spiritual Core too have a definite threshold that it could be compared to mine in terms of quality, though only a bit. But then I stopped so suddenly.

Something foreign was there. A small object anchored the Spiritual Core with the flesh through a link built by a thread of prana. In the darkness that was an illusion because I shut off my focus on the surrounding areas, I squinted as my head throbbed and my body temperature rose by several degrees, telling me that there's a heavy feedback should I continue to analyze the small object attached to Rider's Spiritual Core.

Even so, I continued on.

And I exasperated, "The... Class-Piece...?"

It is there. I could see it hovering in the dark abyss, glowing with a color of dull brown, pink and blue. Brown of the leftover color I inherited from Siegfried, pink of Rider's color, and light blue of his prana... and...

"Ngh...!" I let out a shrill voice and staggered back.

I heard a yelp. My hand was pulled, and I once again stood upright. My vision was blurry and there were black spots around which caused me to feel a strange sense of vertigo for having seen an imperfect world. As times went by, my senses began functioning once again and I could heard my name called over several times.

I blinked as I saw Rider from up close, holding my hand with a very concerned expression.

"Sieg...!? Hey, you're okay?!" He shook my body as he slowly drifted into a panic.

I shook my head slowly, and I released the breath I didn't know was holding.

"Rider..." My voice trailed off. "I-I'm fine."

"You don't look fine!" He shouted.

I winced, "So...rry. I was... I used Structural Analysis on you."

The Heroic Spirit, this time, was the one who blinked.

"What?" He asked. "You did what? Hey, how come you just used a spell on me! What about the Magic Resistance?! Did the spell backfired!?"

I waved a hand slowly, still in his tight grasps, "No... it seems... I could bypass it. My own prana is somehow... mixed with yours deeply so your Magic Resistance probably registered me as an extension..."

"Deeply..." Rider repeated as confusion grew and gnawed on his fair facial, "B-but how? We didn't do any ritual to supply my prana, and I'm as healthy as ever..."

Yes... about that...

"...Rider. I asked you about the Class-Piece before, didn't I?"

The Servant slowly nodded. As I took one last breath in, my prana slowly stabilized and my body returned back to default state. The dissonance of my Spiritual Core was also dealt with so that my natural absorption of prana did not run out of control. I had to be more careful this time, else one slip up could cause me to absorb the prana from hundreds of people in the vicinity within a flash.

Even so, I wasn't sure if my control could last long so I presented him several of the Class-Pieces that continued to be in my waist coat's pocket, hastening my explanation.

It's far better to tell him now before it led to bigger problem, "I used this to summon you, though you didn't appear on time since I apparently overloaded the magic circle."

"Huh? That happened?" He asked innocently.

I nodded once again, "Maybe the pathway between this Earth and our Earth was too small. Whatever happened, after the Command Spell was used, my prana was once again drained a lot but I finally summoned you."

 _However..._

"The Class-Piece I used as a replacement of catalyst... it didn't have anything related to you. It's not a relic nor is it a Mystic Code." I shook my head, "At least that's what I thought."

Rider was clearly confused at this point. As I decided that staying idly like this wouldn't do, I walked deeper into the store and Rider followed closely behind.

"Then what is it?" He asked.

I wondered what I should say. I didn't notice because I couldn't find anything wrong about the Class-Pieces in general. No, it's not that I couldn't find it... _there was nothing wrong with them._

Not if someone else tried to analyze the pieces. And I just so happened to discover it when I tried to analyze the structure of a Heroic Spirit with a mortal flesh. Unfortunately, the answer is...

"After I found out your Class-Piece is _inside_ you, Rider, I didn't expect that it has a portion of my prana and soul melded with it while acting as an anchor point between your Spiritual Core and your new vessel. I'm sorry, Rider. My oversight caused this all..."

Rider froze.

I walked to keep up our cover. One step. Two steps away. Five steps away and...

"Is something wrong, Rider?" I gave a sidelong glance, and the Servant broke out from his petrified state.

"Uh... Sieg? You're telling me that other than something sounding like a chess piece connected with my body and soul... I also have a bit of your soul _inside of me_ as well?"

I stared at him hard.

I nodded.

"Crap," Rider planted a hand on his face, "Jeanne's going to kill me when I'm back at the Throne."

Mmh...? What does that mean...? Why would Ruler try to kill you?

* * *

"Looks like it really cannot be helped. Let's go visit them."

After hurrying the shopping and storing the newly bought supply at the mansion, I announced my plan. Rider who was about to skitter away for his regular 'dating some nice Ladies' halted abruptly. He rotated his head awkwardly, meeting my gaze as a result.

"Err... they...?" He parroted with a drop of sweat trailing down his cheek, "Sieg, don't tell me you..."

"Un. The Devils I explained to you before. If it's about Magecraft or sorcery beyond human understandings, only Devils and their kinds have a monopoly about it. They can be considered experts more than the two of us too." I pointed out.

After all, none of us is actually a Magus. One was a Heroic Spirit with a curse of forgetfulness and another was... well, I disliked almost everything about Magi so if I were to meet one, I will put them as potential targets for my Dragon Breath. First priority even.

It was quite fortunate that from the Devils I knew, nobody seemed to know Magecraft which meant I could breathe in relief around them.

"W-why?! I heard there are a dozen of them and they're huddled together in their base everyday! That's suicide!" Rider cried out uncharacteristically.

I knitted my brows together. And why is he so afraid of them? Rider isn't one who will step back from a challenge. Though he knew his limits, he didn't care about failures or successes as long as the adventures were worth of the trouble. I even believed that thrill against unknown or higher power could ignite his passion the same way it did with Saber of Red.

Then... why? Hmm...

"Rider. There's no _sorceress_ over there." I remarked.

The Heroic Spirit visibly shuddered at the mention of 'Sorceress'... Ah, so that's how it is. Is it past trauma?

Certainly, from what I have learned over the Heroic Spirits that participated in the Great Grail War, there were legends that enhanced their strength and played an important role in how to handle them. The origin of their mythology was a pool of wisdom enough to be said as important as their own life. Because in their legends, if the truth matched them, they possessed the descriptions of their power, abilities, weapons, characteristics, behavior patterns, strengths, weaknesses, beginning, and then end.

To know a hero's lore meant to hold their entire life. For an enemy, such information equaled decisive advantage as it allowed for highly successful rates in ambushing, hampering, trapping, wounding, disabling, even killing targeted Heroic Spirit with nearly no expense at all.

Hence, considering Astolfo's lore... his story began when he was tempted, seduced and then imprisoned as a tree by an Evil Sorceress.

"...but Devils aren't sorceresses... Well, not all of them are magic users. Even still, not all sorceresses are Devils, though the latter have a way to convert the former into their kind... Ah, but. There are no sorceresses around here... But now I'm not so sure when I saw those three..."

"Daaaaaaaahhhhh! Stop it! Stop right there, Master! Stop using that name anymore!"

Rider finally snapped. As he faced me, he was flailing his arms with beads of tears falling down his eyes. Also, his cheeks were red. From all that...

I believe he's miffed, possibly outraged by the mentions of 'Sorceress' be it singular or even plural.

"I got it okay!? Since you wanted it so badly so I'll come along with you! Sheesh, my Master has seriously no tact at all!" He shouted out.

Hm... that's... overwhelmingly easy enough to make him agreeing. I felt bad though as I have probably used trickery to get my way out but I am desperate. I might not look like it but I'm still worried about Rider's new condition.

Of course, I am fine with him enjoying his true second life to the fullest whenever possible but...

The Class-Piece. That object is somehow attached with both his soul and body. I didn't know what it was capable of but I had a vague hunch that it was related with Rider's new flesh. If a small chess piece could generate a vessel perfect enough for Rider's soul to house in, what other feat is it capable of pulling? I'm afraid it could be detrimental as such achievement by no means should have no price to pay for, even for a True Magic.

"Worse, I couldn't analyze it for long as it seemed to have been forged through a method inapplicable for humans to reproduce, also unknown to me..." I breathed out then shook my head.

It's one thing to be unidentifiable by human knowledge, but even for someone who has lived in a Land where No Man Could Ever Reaches? It could be due to the forging method which was special to some Feyfolk. Regardless, I must investigate this matter completely.

I cannot let down my guard any longer after fighting Kokabiel and the shrouded people are still lurking in this town. I can smell something akin to holy element, and the other was... something a bit familiar.

Yes, even through all of my senses it was something familiar, something that oddly has a sort of resemblance with Rider's scent. Something that seemed to belong to... I don't know what exactly it is but I didn't want to think it's a Heroic Spirit, otherwise it meant even Rider could not sense their presence. It also meant the enemy could be the Assassin. They're among the most troublesome opponents when confronted without complete preparations so carelessness could prove as fatal.

"Let's go, Rider. We're just going to have a small talk and a simple check so I doubt it will be long." I walked off by my own.

I heard Rider rushing to follow me a few steps behind. He grumbled silently but some words could be heard clearly.

"Duh, he's even ignoring it. This is going to get worse if he doesn't recognize his denseness soon."

...Rider, I'm not sure if you just casually insulted me or criticizing me. Did I do something so bad that you'd frown upon it? Was it something I said or did?

* * *

We set out before school period ended. Taking time on absorbing the scenery in as well as reminding ourselves which strategic spot was better just in case this town became the main stage for the Holy Grail War.

Because the War is something fought in complete secrecy, being discreet will only cause other participants to hunt us down. I too wanted nothing such as unexpected ambush if possible, as I had a fair share of dealing with the unexpected throughout my life. I had to improvise so much when the treasure I protected could affect an entire race within but a moment.

Not to mention we have yet to know if there's an observer from the church to administer this War, or the amount of active Masters and Servants. It's very troubling since we are still in the dark...

"Well, we're here now." So I said as we stood in front of the school gate. "Let's go Rider. The other side doesn't exactly have much time so we shouldn't inconvenience them any further."

"Uguh...! Leaping into the Devils' den with so much ease... Master has really grown bolder." Rider softly complained.

Or is it? It didn't really matter anyway. I'm fine being hated if my friends can live in peace. That was the case with the other Homunculi and I was fine being scolded by them since... no matter what, to disappear from the world with their voices unheard by none is impossibly hard to endure. To bear watching each voice, foreign yet dear to me crying out and then vanishing in vain. Again and again and again...

"Hm?" But as we bypassed the bounded field through holding a charm paper to identify ourselves, I was suddenly overwhelmed by a distinct element mixing in with the environment's prana.

"Master." Rider called out in a steady but alarmed voice.

I nodded in agreement. It seemed that the Devils already have a guest, judging by the disruption in the surrounding atmosphere. The air was slightly heavier, Divine Element which could not be found from the Devils' magic repertoire lingering as we heard sounds of steel clashing with roars.

I held my breath in upon noticing yet another familiar scent. It was... it was...

"Saber?" I blinked when the image of the armored knight flashed in my mind.

And then I was brought to a stop as once we arrived in the vicinity of old school building... a broken blade shimmered into crystal shards, vanishing from existence with scattering dust of light. I traced the origin which was a Devil, Kiba Yuuto lying on his butt with Issei nearby. Ahead of them were two persons in tight-fitting uniform emphasizing maneuverability with swords that obviously gave off potent divine element.

Further ahead was the Gremory entourage, all of them were with a cloaked person whose face I could not see due to the shadow over the face. But, this smell of non-chemical perfume... is it another woman? Something seems familiar with her...

In any case, the battle seemed to have stopped. Or rather, it was interrupted when Rider and I arrived. One of the swordswomen, a blue-haired girl with sharp and almost expressionless facial grunted.

"Outsiders? As I thought, we shouldn't have trusted the likes of Devils to even keep some decency to flaunt in front of common people!"

Gremory seemed to have taken the final straw when she heard that insult. She frowned her eyebrows and pursed her lips into a scowl in clear distaste. The last cloaked person also seemed to be ready For any movement-

"Geh! This presence...! _Roland!?_ "

And Rider just had to break it asunder with the loudest volume. I looked at him since I wanted to ask what he meant by a presence and... 'Roland'...? As in that-

"You! How did you...!?" The blue one cried out.

She's visibly shaken as if her most terrible secret was revealed... Huh? But she's a girl. What kind of parents would name their daughters 'Roland'? It's clearly a masculine term, not to mention uncommon these days. Also, she now emitted a hefty amount of murderous intent though it couldn't be compared to how Heroic Spirits would give out to their enemy.

 _"Hey, Master!"_ Rider notified me through the telepathic link.

Uhm... With this situation spiraling out of control, I don't think there's much room to say-

 _"Xenovia, that's enough! Irina too!"_ The third cloaked person shouted, causing the two fighters to flinch.

As quick as the bloodlust evaporated, Rider's tension dropped as well. Even so, he was still in a state of alarmed without leaving the blue one out of his sight. During the impasse though, the last cloaked one pulled down her cloak and...

And I was left in similar state as well.

"Sorry sorry! We didn't expect spectators around during the shooting! You okay? Are you hurt?" The person who I identified as a young woman asked, innocent cheerfulness seeped from her entire words as her small rosebuds lips formed a brilliant smile.

A mop of golden hair fell over her shoulders and the small of her back, tied in braids neatly and combed in a specific way which added familiarity.

"...a... ah..." I nodded vaguely, unable to take my eyes off her.

Her eyes were amethyst-colored that were pure. Her facial was youthful, well-rounded without unnecessary addition or flaws. While her body could not be seen under the white cloak her beauty stood out the most in my eyes.

Not entirely flawless, but not utterly flawed either. It was different to the molded and precise beauty of a Homunculus, yet it was neither the kind of cuteness that could make one's heart flutter just by being nearby like Rider. _It was a wondrous beauty that scarcely felt real._

And it was a trait only possessed by one Saint who became a Heroic Spirit at her youth. The one who claimed to have heard the lament of God in a turbulent time, using the power of Counter Force to attain her status as the heroine who liberated France during the One-Hundred Years' War.

Her name is-

"...Jean... ne..." I trailed off, unaware that my response seemed to have drawn more attentions than it should.

Even so, I couldn't bear it as something inside of me erupted, rising all the way to my throat as I hitched, my hand clutching my wrist reflexively.

 _She's not here. She's not her. She's not the one I once waited for._

I told myself all that. That it was impossible. That the miracle couldn't have happened. That the promise between us could no longer be realized for one change had occurred.

 _She couldn't be here. I have broken the promise first. I have stopped waiting for her. I betrayed her the moment I traveled into this dimension. I have forsaken her to pursue my own happiness._

"Excuse me?" The woman asked, her voice tinged with concerns.

But seeing that worry, that familiar expression, that nostalgic yet foreign expression as if she knew nothing of this existence before her...

 _She's not her. Not her. Not her. Not her but... But why..._

I gnashed my teeth and chewed my lips so tightly it ripped and bled. I was still unaware that the surrounding people had stopped whatever thing they have done and discovered my strange behavior.

"...ieg...! Sieg!"

When my shoulder was clapped and shaken hard, I snapped back from my reverie, releasing the air stopped in my lungs. My world twisted and I staggered, grasping my forehead as someone leaned and supported me from falling. I huffed as colors returned, and I turned my gaze on a worried Rider.

"Sieg... you alright?" He asked half in panic.

"...I... I am... Rider, I..." My voice faded.

And then something cracked within me. Something that resounded together with my heart. Something I didn't understand but was hurting as if trying to crush me with undivided pressure. It was only a bit after sensing the pain that I realized my legs felt weak, and my head was throbbing.

My mind... my mind was in chaos, but why? What's going on? Why... just because of some coincidence, I...

"...Ri...der..." I wheezed as I settled down my head on his chest, "...I... it... hurts..."

He embraced me tightly, cradling my head gently. Warmth transferred into my body and suppressed the pain, but it didn't go away. _It couldn't go away, even as I clawed at the place my heart resided in._

As I saw familiar faces approaching, the girl whose appearance was the exact mirror to the Saint struggled in place as she seemed to want to help, to do something.

But that expression was something I knew too well. And it hurt even more as she lingered in my blackened word. All I could do was to let it cover me, and my lips moved, unaware that it could be heard.

 _"...why... does it hurt so... much...?"_

* * *

Issei didn't get why it turned like this.

First the trio exorcists appeared out of nowhere and declared that they wished to search for fragments of Excali-whatsit without being hindered. Beside them being a super awesome relic turned into seven holy swords and said to be able to kill low-class Devils like him with one deep stab, he believed something was going on with them and Kiba. The guy seemed vengeful that he broke out from his Handsome Prince-character with just a short talk about them.

It was strange, really. But he realized that other than members of the same club and same Peerage, he didn't know anything about the others' story.

 _And I admit, I haven't thought far ahead after it._

He was enraged when they provoked him by insulting Asia. Issei was sure he was right since there could be no way for the most gentle girl he knew to fall from grace and did whatever despicable things Witches would do, but he was ashamed when he got literally beaten up black-and-blue by the two exorcists. Heck, I lost against Irina without seeing her naked! What a shame!

Things rolled off the course when his friend appeared though. _It just snowballed and Sieg collapsed with tears running down his face! And he's accompanied by an extremely cute girl!_

"Kuh...! That traitor...!" Issei cursed only to receive a rock smacked at the head. Hard. _No, wait. It's very hard and painful!_ "Ow...! Wh-where did you get that, Koneko-chan!?"

The small-but-powerful junior simply narrowed her eyes in disgust, "You're being rude, perverted senpai."

"Nice one, miss!" The newer guest, the pink-haired bishoujo raised a thumb up.

"Eh...!? Why?!" Issei cried out, only to receive yet another rock. This time on the face and he fell backward.

"I-issei-san...!" _Ah, that must be the voice an angel..._

Ignoring the unfolding event with a wry smile, Rias and the entire members of Occult Research Club switched her gaze on the still unconscious silver-haired boy who was housed on the club room's sofa. He was sleeping quietly with his hand held by the...

"Umm, now that I think about it. Who are you?" Issei asked.

 _How come I forgot to ask her name? She's a bishoujo, dammit!  
_

"Oh, sure. Call me Rider for now. Nice to meet'cha! You must be that Issei-guy Sieg talked about!" The girl waved a hand with dazzling smile.

 _Guh! What's with her cuteness!? It's extraordinaire...!  
_

"Excuse me, but is Sieg-kun alright?" Ria - Buchou asked.

"Un, he's alright," The girl wearing a purple jacket over a striped tank top nodded, "At least he's fine physically."

"So he's not good emotionally...?" Akeno presumed.

The exceptionally cute girl who claimed as Sieg's friend simply nodded. It could be said that everyone present noticed her lack of energy as if there was some divine will being conveyed to their heads. It must be, since Issei was wearing similar face like everyone else did.

 _But how...? Could it be her feature is just that simple to perceive?_

"Yeah. You got it right to let those... Exorcists away. Sieg wouldn't be able to stand being near... who was that again?" Rider asked with a sudden change of tone that it sounded like a whiplash.

Issei felt beads of sweats rolling down his forehead while getting up, "Uh... she's those two's supervisors. Think her name's Jeanne-something-Ark."

If the Lucifer was the Prince of Lies, the pink-haired girl would be the epitome of bluntness and honesty. Her eyes rounded like saucers and she visibly trembled before shaking her head heavily before sighing a long sigh.

"You serious?" She asked and looked around.

Everyone nodded.

"H-how? Is she the real deal?" She asked, somewhat stuttering.

Asia answered, "W-well, I've heard of her back at the Church. Jeanne-san is apparently an 'inheritor' of Jeanne d'Arc's 'spirit'. She occasionally visited the orphanage to see the children."

"And she is _also_ a veteran exorcist. My colleagues often encountered her whenever there is a mission to take down abnormally powerful Stray Devils." Rias-buchou supplemented.

The girl blinked once, twice and... _damn she looks so cute._

But setting aside his natural attraction to pretty girls, Issei saw her drooping her head down with her hand planted on her face.

"Agh... this is getting worse. What's next? Siegfried having a descendant?" She asked to no one in particular.

When Issei heard a giggle coming from Akeno, he began sweating. _That... that giggling... don't tell me...!_

"Ah. I heard from Grayfia-san that the Exorcist often tagged up with him. It has been quite a hot talk since they always appeared whenever missions involving powerful Stray Devils appeared." One of the top Onee-san of Kuoh Academy answered flimsily.

"A-Akeno-sa-senpai?!" Issei cried out only to wince when said girl directed an alluring smirk commanding him to not ruin her fun.

"...you know what? Forget it. Whatever. Thankfully King Arthur isn't a girl."

 _Ah, she's trying to escape reality now...! Her eyes don't have luster! Rider-chan...!  
_

"E-hem," Rias coughed, and everything went back to its track, "While chatting about triviality is fine but I think my initial question is not yet answered."

 _Oh. Buchou's right._ Issei once again stared at his friend then at the girl.

"Err... what's wrong with Sieg? Did something happen with him and that blonde Onee-san?"

The girl shook her head, "It's not about him and her. It's just... well, she resembled someone we know very well. To a scary extent even."

"Someone?" Asia parroted.

Issei frowned hard at the notion of another beautiful girl acquainted with his new friend. How did that even happen?

"But... even someone he knew can't possibly cause such a response." Kiba commented.

The pinkhead showed a bitter smile. It unnerved Issei for seeing it but judging from everyone's silent reaction, they seemed to think the same. _Ah, that's kind of... of what? Huh? Even Koneko-chan too? I don't get this...!  
_

"Well... sorry, but this time, leave him alone. I don't want to betray my Master and Sieg is my best friend. It's up to him to explain that part, you know?" The small girl got up, and hoisted Sieg behind her back. "So anyway, he's alright! We're going to come back later! See ya all around, Devils!"

 _Uwah! She can carry him?! Is she the same type as Koneko-chan!? Another cute-but-deadly type!? But hold on...  
_

"Are all small chested girls this powerful?" Issei quizzed.

This time, he received a straight kick at the abdomen by the resident catlike junior. Everyone did not comment on this scene anymore.

"Oh yeah!" Rider popped out her head from the doorway, "Stop probing around for some info, blondie! I can tell you're up for no good with that look set on those two holy swords! Ciao!"

Then she was gone. This time for good.

There was inexplicable silence filling the room now. But everyone probably already thought of one thing: _That girl is definitely not a quiet-type, much less someone that can keep secrets in._

"Isn't she the exact opposite of Koneko-cha - guboh!?"

Issei whimpered a lot that day.

* * *

In the end, Rider chose to investigate the Class-Piece, the suspiciously odd holy swords, the new agents of church and the Devils later.

Since he didn't want to stay at a place such as the Devils' hideout, he chose to carry his Master back and prepare for the unexpected. Not that he could do a worth about it but at least the thought counted right?

"Besides," Rider looked over his back. "Sieg, you're still light as ever."

Even though he was now a Dragon, he should have been something that would frighten the hell out of him. And yet, through the sands of time, he stayed the same, unchanged in a world without humans or homunculi. Rider chalked it up as the mental fortitude he gained from participating a Great Grail War when Sieg was still at his earliest year, but he felt more pride ebbing in his heart if he believed that the former Homunculus remembered the lessons he gave.

 _After all, the one who first taught him is this charming Astolfo!_

"Still..." Rider trailed off, "This world is crazy. Not in a bad way but it's definitely not in a good way."

When he recalled how his Master met 'this world's' Her, he couldn't help but thinking it was some sort of bad joke. Not only the situation was inappropriate, even he couldn't foresee it from happening. What's more for Sieg, being thrown out of civilization and without communication partner for years _of course_ would make him receive a shock.

 _For the love of God, how did Jeanne's spirit get inherited just like that? But no wonder she has so much resemblance... Didn't expect there to be a reincarnation running around... Also, Siegfried you ass! How come you still accepted tragic death despite having children already?!_

There seemed to be something fishy around here. While he wasn't the brightest person out there, Rider could sense that something was happening in the background. It was even more worrisome since the presences of Servants or other Magi could not be detected.

The Holy Grail War was always done in absolute secrecy. Because of that, night was the best time to conduct it. But Rider no longer could turn into spiritual form so if he went out with armors on, especially during the dead of night, at least one should have confronted him right?

"The thing is... I haven't told him this." Rider laughed awkwardly as he arrived at their base, quickly moving in and placed Sieg on his bed.

The only saving grace was that he got too preoccupied by Sieg's condition that he didn't explain a thing. _Hah, take that you stupid curse!_

As he was about to nod satisfactorily for his neat job, the dragon-in-human-form groaned and moved about in his sleep.

"...Ru...ler..." He whispered.

Rider stared at the pained face, pulled the chair nearby the desk then flopped down next to the bed and rubbed Sieg's forehead gently.

"It's okay. It's okay, Sieg." He whispered.

Clearly, someone was in trouble right now. It was certainly a predicament that even he could not help directly. It was something personal, and something precious to the person. If he couldn't get back up, then everything would turn hopeless.

Even so... Even still, for Rider...

"It's okay. We're in this together Master, so you'll be fine. You're going to be fine, Sieg."

If there was a person in trouble, he would help them. He would do everything in his power to help ease them, to relieve them from their troubles. He understood that humanity could be a serious pain in the ass some times, but the desire to help others was not wrong. And he would gladly continue to help if it could change the bleak future the Fake Priest 'prophesied', even if only for the slightest bit.

He would help until he decided to stop. By his own will, through his own heart, with his own desire... Be it in his past life, in the present, or even in the distant future. That creed would not change. It could never change.

 _That's just how Astolfo of the 12 Peers truly is._

* * *

"Mmm... the moon looks nice tonight." One Jeanne d'Arc mused to herself.

"Senior? Are you alright?" Xenovia Quarta asked.

"Un... was it because of that boy back there? He collapsed so suddenly." Irina Shidou quipped.

The superior laughed, "Uhm... yeah. I can't just abandon someone in trouble. That's against the teachings of God."

"Hmph. I think he is far more suspicious than you think, senior." Xenovia scoffed. "Especially that pinkhead. I do not think she can be trusted."

"Because she yelled out His name?" Irina blinked. "Xenovia, you're being _too_ paranoid."

"We'll see about that." The wielder of Excalibur Destruction grunted then walked a little faster.

Jeanne shook her head, a wry smile on her face, "Before all that, suspecting someone without proof is not good. And there was no need to use excessive violence."

Sure she was an Exorcist, an enforcer of rules of the Church who dealt with sinners, heretics and evil-extermination but Jeanne was not someone who could so easily abandon the pleas of the miser. Her colleagues often pointed out that she was easily swayed by her sudden whims and desire to help but she herself believed it was just another good point for being true to oneself.

And the boy... he looked like he was in deep suffering. Not only due to his expressions, it was also because he acted as if... as if he was wearing his heart on his sleeve. A honest and innocent youth who resembled someone she knew well. To a huge degree even, as she believed his friend called him 'Sieg'.

Plus, the words he muttered before he fainted drew a string in her. _'Why did it hurt...' huh?_

"Speaking of which. Some stray exorcists were reported to have huddled at an abandoned church in this town before. Shall we investigate it first for some clues?" Jeanne deftly avoided the questions and suggested something even the lowest-ranked exorcists would approve of.

"Yes, that can work." Xenovia nodded.

"Oh, nice! Maybe we can also take refugee in there for tonight!" Irina quipped.

 _That's... a brilliant idea._ Jeanne didn't think of where to lodge for the night so she might have missed it from her initial calculations. Ugh, she was always bad at general studies, and she hated them to an extent of escaping aunt Griselda's classes.

"A-hem. Th-then, let us march onward!" The superior announced, her old habit kicking in.

* * *

"It's... a rubble."

"Yeah... it's in ruin."

"...the church already crumbled."

The trio exorcists gaped at the sorry, also lonely sight.

"Aww... now that I think about it, the church is already abandoned _for years_ since I moved out from the neighborhood." Irina mumbled. "Maybe it's already past its age?"

"...Irina... I think you should've explained about that earlier." Xenovia rubber her forehead, utterly perplexed.

Jeanne then gasped, "It's already midnight... The cheap inns and hotels are already closed down too!"

"Eh? Senior, from where did you know such thing?" The bluehead turned this time to the descendant of the Saint.

"Ugh!? Th-that's... Well, experience!" Jeanne quickly made up an excuse, which was actually the truth.

Let it be said that Jeanne was unusually bad in handling reward fees for exorcising evils. And she splurged a lot according to her trusted partner in dangerous missions. Then again, she would deny that statement vehemently as long as there was no proof around...

 _Right. Now where did I put those unpaid bills? Quite sure they were in my pocket before... before I visited Sig-kun's dorm room?_

"Oh no! Did I just drop them in his room!?" Jeanne exasperated at the horrific implication.

* * *

Meanwhile, at the Vatican-

"Jeannnneeeeeeee!" One descendant of the Dragonblooded Knight howled like a furious dragon who was rudely awakened from its peaceful slumber.

And in all the angers forbidden by the Lord, his was completely, definitely, perfectly _and_ absolutely justifiable. With the crumples of _definitely-not-ordinary_ papers in his hand, the professional Exorcist searched throughout the cathedral to no avail.

 _That girl! She just tossed her piles of debts on me and ran away! Where on Heaven is she hiding now!?_

"Oh? Sigfried, you looking for that little girl?" An Exorcist, Dulio Gesualdo, passed by him.

With a silent glare, anyone would have veered away from him but the lazy-yet-strongest Exorcist simply yawned.

"Where is she!?" The youth demanded.

Dulio pointed over his shoulder with a thumb, "If it's her, she ran off to Japan to investigate some thievery about the Excalibur fragments. Though she just jumped for the opportunity due to Griselda's back acting up for the umpteenth time this week. She sure got it lucky. General Study class is about to start."

 _What!?_

"And so, youngster. Let's get back. Pain and joy should be shared together, brother."

"What!?"

* * *

Urgh... My... head, hurts...

"And what was that dream...?" I groaned while sitting up, a fabric I recognized as blanket fell over my lap.

This is... I scanned the surrounding first. A dull but classy interior, decorated with western furniture, a high-quality carpet draping over the wooden floors, and a seemingly detached impression for having no personal belongings around. It was dull because the room felt as if it belonged to no one. There was no personality which could tell one who the bedroom was meant for.

And I knew for who. This room is mine because I too do not have much preferences over things. Some said that the state of a room reflected the personality of its owner so... I guess that was one kind of truth. This place reflected exactly how dull and meaningless my life had been.

"I see... so I am back here." I muttered to no one in particular, slowly reorganizing my thoughts.

I was undoubtedly cautious, if not paranoid this time. I didn't even know why I tried to set aside yesterday's event in the deepest corner of my memories but I had to, otherwise I could never be able to condone my fear and cowardice. But when I was about to close my eyes, I heard quiet breaths.

Looking to the right, there I found Rider sleeping in a chair with his head laid on crossed arms at the bedside. His feature showered by the morning light coming through the windows behind him, soothing my impatient mind at once.

"...Rider..." I whispered as I raised a hand to nudge him, but refrained at the last moment.

He must have been looking after me the whole day. I collapsed like that and yet I didn't explain anything in what he ought to do if the unexpected happened. Rider was one of the few who would be saddened by my death even if I were still a mere Homunculus, and I knew that he was a comrade a could truly rely on with my heartfelt trust.

...if so, I could not bother him. Not when I have troubled him yet again in this new phase of our life.

"...sorry, Rider. Thank you." I whispered, crawling silently off from the bed to change my damp clothes.

It was drenched with sweats. I didn't understand how or why but perhaps it had a connection with the dream last night.

I grimaced at the vague but frighteningly merciless resemblance, "Yet another nightmare... is it?"

I had thought that after I became a Transcendent Kind, the curse of Fafnir would stop. And yet, it seemed to haunt me as lingering memories. Like an apparition of demon that would steal my soul should I expose myself to my weaknesses. Before the apparition was in the form of the dragon which I chose to be, but now...

Now I wasn't sure. I couldn't remember much this time but I knew I mustn't remember or... Or else I...

"Enough. Stop it with that thought." I shook my head.

After I was done changing my clothes with a simple shirts and pants, I walked back to the bed. Rider was still sleeping but the position was not suitable to sleep. With him having a mortal flesh, it would probably become detrimental to his health so I can't ignore it.

"Excuse me, Rider." I gently carried the small-framed Heroic Spirit in my arms, bringing him to his room.

Since it wasn't good for a Master and a Servant to be separated, it was decided that Rider's room is set adjacent to mine. At the edge of the west wing of the mansion, I carefully walked through the slowly brightening hallway and opened the door with a hand. Once I arrived in Rider's room...

Well, the stark contrast between his and mine seemed to be like day and night.

With light pink and white wallpapers, frilly curtains, repainted furniture, as well as dresses and ribbons scattered on the study desk made the room looked... extremely feminine, much to Rider's personal tastes. I almost mistook it with a girl's room but I am no judge of other people's hobby.

"Mm..." Rider snuggled unconsciously, reminding me of my current task.

With a wry smile, I set down the Heroic Spirit on his bed. Wrapping him with the blanket, I nodded down as I accomplished my job safely. After all, it would only backfire if I were to interrupt Rider's sleep. I know because I am a Dragon. I am far more sensitive to the surroundings compared to humanity in general, and even with Heroic Spirits in the scale, a Negotiator of Nature can be said as the best in terms of detecting the subtlest changes.

Well, Dragons have always been regarded as both a Guardian of Land as well as the Avatar of Raging Storms. It's just how our natures work.

"Now then..." I muttered after I left Rider's room. "What should I do next?"

Those three from yesterday were probably exorcists. Agents of the Church... I hope they're not Executors. Everything would go awry if they thought up mistaken conclusion. I didn't want to take a blind chance as I slowly came to a realization that there was another circumstance I have yet to add in my calculations.

The Great War. A war between Three Biblical Factions, which nearly brought the apocalypse had the two Heavenly Dragons not rekindled their eternal rivalry in the middle of it. I have heard that the three Factions of Devils, Angels and Fallen Angels were nearly brought to an extinction so one could only guess how much damages done to the world.

"Added with the Holy Grail War..." I paused. "Looks like there are two fronts that must be dealt with."

Both the Holy Grail War and the Great War are important issues. Even with a fragile peace, a lull in the sea, storms would appear and sink many boats. A disaster could never be averted without preparations, and I have passed the chance after collapsing. With two sides of the Biblical Factions in one place, there was no telling when the third would appear.

I was certain he, Kokabiel, would notice. Or could it be that he was pulling the strings all this time...? It's extremely suspicious that Enforcers would appear in a town ruled by Devils so brazenly. They also didn't kill each other, as from what I saw, there was only a small friction going on between the Gremory group and the Church's Agents. I doubt the two wanted to incite another Great War that could very well spell their kinds' demise.

But when I added the Fallen Angel's revelation and his subsequent assault, the timing seemed... _It's way too perfect to be mere coincidences._

"...Looks like I have to confront each of them as quickly as I can." I walked outside the mansion and gazed at the blue sky.

It's still bright outside. If it's like this, I still have times to stop the worst from happening. Looking back to the house I have obtained from pure luck, I...

 _Her amethyst-colored eyes clouded in worries. Her empty hand seemed to reach out as her golden dawn hair swayed rigidly, unsure of what to-do. But there was a light so familiar in those concerned eyes, vivid and clear from deception. It was-_

"...Rider, I'm sorry but I'm going ahead. I'll notify you once I found something."

And so, dispersing my lingering worries and doubt, I sped up toward the town. Unaware that my heart beats faster not because of worries alone. Through an intersection I passed by people and hurrying myself to the Kuoh Academy.

 _"..."_

I didn't notice there was a girl wearing a black gothic dress among them. A girl with immensely familiar blonde hair and yet possessing cold, emotionless golden-colored eyes.

* * *

 **~Author's Rambling~  
**

It turned out like this. Yet another foreshadowing but well, like I said, I don't intend to rush things out. A step at a time, but a progress can be seen. What about the above statement? Well, duh. It's just a recurring dream I sometimes had. Dunno if it's a premonition or something though (lol)

Next, regarding this chapter. It's a short one yet again. And we jumped from the head of someone to another quite quickly. I must say I'm a bit dissatisfied with particularly this one chapter but I'd rather want to convey its purpose so nothing's gone wrong. Probably. Talking about the chapter... Rather than a conflict of blood and ash, it's more like emotional wounds. I decided to peel off Sieg's most glaring weakness here. In other words... His mentality.

Why yes! I'm going to utilize every loopholes I can use! Things can never be so pretty if they cannot be broken right?

* * *

 **RAC!**

rabbitpoop: Uhm...? That, I didn't know. I haven't seen it so I'll check the profile.

Thunder Dragon: I aim to please, after all! Now onto your questions! One: He can if the requirements are met. Two: That can be the case, but imagine having **_two_** Astolfos around you. Three: Why not? The theme is life and journey so of course we're going to explore every nook and cranny of it. Look forward to it! Four: I can't have Sieg only be taught by one Dragon King so he'll meet them all later. In time of course. Then vsKokabiel: Of course it's a one-on-one (almost) no-holds-barred fight!

Ore wa gest-kun: So you noticed. What I meant subpar quality is how the quantity of words and the quality of chapter not meeting my standard. And you a fan of AUO or something?

Snorlax-kun: Mhm, thank you for the concern. It's okay. We still have times so I usually wait until the end of the Arc to collect the invoices before grouping the results. Then I compared them with the story plot whether or not they can fit as a long-term character. The process is there anyway, so there's nothing to worry about. And power rank, well, dragons are sensitive to magical energy so would you want to inhale air pollution directly?

UBW: Votes accepted.

Student: Uh... sorry, I got Presence Concealment and Spiritual Form mixed. But you've got the idea right that Sieg is summoning real heroic spirit in flesh rather than spirit. Then, about your choices... Mhm, that's fine. Votes accepted.

gladys: Votes accepted.

Gabriel790: Thanks for the praise~

King0fP0weres: I see... thank you then for your patience. Sometimes I worry if the plot is a bit too farfetched and stuck to the canon too much. Anyhow, the spiritual form has been fixed already. Thanks for the mention. The main points...

Well, Sona? Who knows? *laugh suspiciously*

Then, Koneko. It will be explained but that's one of the reasons. Sieg has... strange constitution now. A dragon, but with a dragonslayer's heart. Yet the base of his entire being is a Homunculus which is a fake human meant solely as supplier of prana. Also, his soul got attached with Frankenstein's bit. Basically, he's got too much different smells mixed up. Original Arc will probably appear only when it's non-canon, like the bonus volumes or something.

Finally, Tiger Dojo. Thank you for the words. I'm not so sure if I captured the impression correctly so it's good if it's passable. I'll try to input more characters since, well, why not? It's Tiger Dojo after all.

RandomBoredGuy: Les... Uh... *sweat drops* I see. So Jeanne can swing that way *dodges flag banner* Maa, I'm not someone picky about romances and all so either way is fine. I get it. *dodges flag banner again* I'm not complaining, just voicing my surprises. That's all. Besides, most Heroic Spirits are already hax entities. Nasuverse simply doesn't care about general power balances.

Master of Dragons God: Vote accepted.

Knight of Steam: Your answer lies at the end of this chapter.

Troublesome Guest: Calm down, Mr. Wright. Please note that Jekyll can be summoned in Berserker-class in Fate/Prototype: Fragment of Silver and Blue. In FGO, that turns out like you said though.

T.E: You've got one hyperactive immortal teacher with strength outweighing general humans equipped with a cursed shinai? Also, her appetite reaches beyond mortals.

Noah: Votes accepted.

Your Mother: Votes accepted. But Ophis as Beast...? For real?

Bang: A little daydream, some strolls in Beast Lair forum, high with caffeine, and reading too much FSNxDxD crossovers will get you to jot down your pen for some weird story. Also. Votes accepted.

Haunted Ground: Arjuna? Really? I haven't thought of that. But that's one piece of nice intel. It's not like it'll be too unfair considering Heroic Spirits can die. Votes accepted.

DrollerKnight: Vote accepted.

Gar for Archer: Most Archers are somehow badass-incarnate. Can't say anything to deny that. Vote accepted.

FINAL Boss: Sounds like a recipe for disaster, duh. Got it. Votes accepted.

Pokemon Go: Why thanks! And Sieg is indeed a Dragon. But if he exhibited more power, he will need lots of prana which meant breathing in prana from the living beings around him. That act can kill everyone in Kuoh you know? Well, your choices are fine so go on. Alsoseeyoulater! *runs away from the scene with magically reinforced legs*

Mr. Tanaka: Votes accepted. And yes, talk about surprising discovery isn't it?

Ma Cherie: Her Personal Skill already made her as the underdog competitor... Huh, that's acceptable. Vote accepted.

Wrath of Wraith: Sure. Votes accepted.

Fater: Because he's so awesome in the tvcm?

Sky Magician: Technically, NP involving summoning can always be used as long as said beast is not dead yet. Also, the mount will grow stronger as time goes by so if left alone, a Hippogriff can raise in ranks. Of course you can still vote. Choose carefully though as your choices are rather fixed until I said otherwise.

Guest-san: Nah, it's fine. Sometimes, you need to be greedy if you want to do something out of your reach. The answer though, is because suitability. If not, why would I even put Mordred, who is a Saber, in Excalibur Arc?

WeissSymphony: Nightingale, someone with mental-illness is here! Quick, cure him! *sees Nightingale taking out her syringe gun miles away*

SwordNKnife: Mhmm... thank you for joining in the ride then. Votes accepted.

Zephyr: Votes accepted.

Khan: While your selection is mostly okay, but Semiramis would try to kill Sieg you know? She would probably detests him for preventing Shirou's plan from happening.

Shaker: A good guy as official persona, and a crazy psycopath when dealing with the underworld?! What kind of president is that!?

The Fool: Tamamo is one of the (extremely) rare Gods who don't look down forever on humans. And her motive is a personal desire to love and become a wife. Of course that's one hell of a factor to boost her popularity. That's wifey material for ya! And yeah, Shuten looks similar with Sona in design. I wonder what will happen if the two happened to meet...?

Boomlancer: You're right on Jekyll being super-hard to kill. He's like a cockroach in a sense that his vitality exceeded the norms without being blessed by higher beings or NPs. The Xenovia and Kuroka's case? Well, who knows?

Jacky: Votes accepted.

the true sieg: Votes accepted.

The Taiga: Taiga will probably get along well with Herakles though? They're fellow idio-*smacked from behind by torashinai*

John: I was late to notice, but yeah. It's just funny how coincidence can happen right? I didn't plan this though.

MOC: Hard decisions... is it? Nah, this's just the bread of the day for me. The key is: Don't think too much and believe in yourself!

Kirin: Likewise. Though with the nature of Fate, it's almost a miracle for a Servant to last beyond Holy Grai War. But then again, a Homunculus with the Spiritual Core of a Heroic Spirit can live more than 100 years easily. Who can said it's not the same case for the others? Well, Sieg will have to confront the topic even if he didn't want to. Next, other than the first two... Uh, I'm not sure if Laeticia would join in as an Exorcist. The church is so disappointing in DxD after all... But that can be considered in a different way.

He-Man: Umhm. Got it. Votes accepted.

ZJ: It's okay. I too can be forgetful at times. Votes accepted.

Jak: Why thank you? Glad what I wrote isn't in vain! And yeah, Brynhildr will have... mixed feelings about it. Will she feel pain? Anger? Disgust? Or falling in love? That's the one-million dollars question yeah. And Mordred will have a blast for sure! Jeanne too will of course appear but the selection is about her allegiance. Is it neutral or ally? Finally. Votes accepted.

Azrael: Sure. Votes accepted.

Manlybadasshero: Fumu, have a nice day! Votes accepted!


	9. Chapter 8 - Upset and Reckless Again

**UPDATE 29/7/2016:** A poll has been made. Please check on my profile if it's there and give it your thought if you have time. As the notice in the poll said, it won't affect previously written stories since whichever that win will receive monthly release of chapter. Do note that in case you want to read the details, a synopsis has been made for each entry in the profile. *bows formally* Deadline for the poll: 1 month.

* * *

It wasn't until I noticed a glimpse of brown and gold did I came to a halt.

Two blocks away, in front of a family restaurant were Issei and Yuuto standing while chatting. They seemed to discuss about something, and judging from Yuuto's expression, it wasn't a pleasurable talk. Drawn by the seemingly serious air between the two, my feet brought me forward and they noticed me from the edge of their peripheral vision.

"Oh, Sieg! Hey! You're alright already?" Issei waved a hand.

I nodded, "A night's sleep helped. I'm sorry to have inconvenienced you all."

"It's fine...! But Sieg, if you're unwell then don't go out on your own." Issei shrugged.

Even Yuuto nodded in agreement. It looks like I have made the Gremory endlessly worried...

"Besides..."

Hm? I looked up slightly and my shoulders were gripped tightly. Had I been a flesh-and-blood human, I'd have screamed in pain but this much strength... is... strange, even for-

"You! How in the bloody hell did you score that kind of extremely cute girl?! Who the hell is Rider _-chan_?!" Issei howled with bloodshot eyes.

Umm... I guess that wouldn't be enough to describe it. His face distorted in such a way that I almost saw tears of blood coming out from his eyes. Still, Rider... _chan...?_

"Ah. Are you referring to Rider? Did you two have a talk while I was unconscious-"

"Why?! Why are you blessed with a freakishly cute girl like her?! Also, she even called you 'Master', you damned handsome!"

...huh? He did...? So he blurted out our true identity as participants of Holy Grail War already... I wonder how much information has been leaked out during my absent. I'm worried though judging from Issei's reaction...

"Uhm... Well, Rider is technically contracted to me as a Servant so..." I muttered in small voice. "I guess calling me that isn't all incorrect."

"You're already in that kind of relationship?!" Issei almost screamed.

In the next second, he staggered back and paled. As his jaw hung loosely, his knees toppled and he crashed down at all fours.

"WWHHHYYYYYyyyyy?! Go-ouch!-why hath thou forsaken meeeeee!?"

Then he broke down while cursing the heaven.

...while I wasn't quite sure of everything that had transpired... I guess, I could confirm that Issei knew nothing of Holy Grail War. There was no way any Magus and their cohorts could mistake the terms with their more mundane counterparts. That meant the Gremory group had small chances to be other participants, to which I found sincere relief in for I knew little in dealing with an enemy who's also a friend. Meanwhile, the Sitri... well, I was still unsure of it at the moment.

Setting my investigation aside-

"Issei, I don't think God will ever take you in. You're a Devil." I pointed out.

Oh, also, Rider is a... Uhm, how should I put it? To describe Rider is like describing why clouds are shaped as clouds. It's almost at the level of Great Mystery as the sensible parts of his identity could elude even people like Ruler. The fair administrator of Holy Grail War must remain neutral so it's one extraordinary feat for Rider to have made her missing it.

But as if he was granted with divine providence, Issei was once again slack-jawed with eyes as round as the sun.

"Heh... you two are really close friends." So Yuuto chimed in.

Issei stared at him long, "Oh shut up. You're my friend too, Kiba, so don't make yourself left out of this."

The blond boy grimaced a little. He seemed... troubled. Why?

"Anyway, perfect timing, Sieg. One more helper so I think we can manage even better. I have something to tell you too." Issei then proceeded into the family restaurant.

Both Yuuto and I were left alone. Feeling the silence as uncomfortable, I decided to break the ice.

"Shall we?"

"Yes... let's."

* * *

After my order, a cup of hot chamomile tea arrived, I sipped the tea slowly and steadily, not breaking any etiquette I have learned so far in drinking teas.

I found that drinking and brewing tea became one special method in killing time. Even so, I took it to a serious level as I feel... fascinated of the British culture behind it, also because people of this eastern country founded the way in debating politics while having teas.

If I remembered correctly, the one who founded the culture in Japan was a famous warlord of the civil war era. I think his name possessed a hint of origin with Dragons. I wonder if he too became a Heroic Spirit? He's especially formidable if he were summoned here... Hm, wait. I don't think this is the correct place to mind my own business.

"...I understand the situation." Kiba Yuuto said after drinking his coffee, terrible frowns adorning his face. "But I find it slightly dissatisfying for the wielders of Excaliburs allowing me to destroy one."

Excaliburs... That one word had also caused me to a pause before erasing my anxiety with my silent drinking act.

After all, we, Devils, a Dragon, and Exorcists are discussing of a plan to destroy relics categorized as the most powerful Noble Phantasm in a moderately public place. Had I not suggested on drawing a bounded field, which I painstakingly tried to create out of my limited knowledge about Runes, I'd have risked everyone in this place as potential targets of one of the Three Biblical Factions. It was with some gratitude and slight judging stares from the Exorcists that I could do so well than before.

I couldn't say whether it was good or not for having excluded That Person. The two Exorcists said she's a professional and worked best alone but I couldn't help being worried. I _did_ faint just because of exchanging a few words with her...

Still, I was surprised with the reason behind the entire event.

"To think that the Church would experiment on people so as to be able to wield reforged versions of a holy sword. Times truly have changed." I commented while eyeing the object wrapped with holy shroud slung behind Xenovia Quarta's back.

She was glaring back at me though. From what she had seen, she probably assumed I was a magic user, which in the eyes of the Church, a pagan and a sinner who turned his back from the Lord's teachings. It was a conception often adopted by most Executors and all agents of Church, but her sending such glare intensely probably had something to do with how Rider blurted out the name of a fellow Paladin who once wielded the holy sword Durandal.

Are they even related? That would make sense if the girl was related in some ways to the famous knight said to have a preference with 'kinky stuff' such as chains or cuffs.

"That incident also became one of the worst cases among us and the higher-ups felt disgusted about it. The person in charge of that project at that time was said to have a problem with his belief so he was charged with heresy. Now he's one of those people on the Fallen Angels side." The blue one spoke flatly.

I would have snorted, but chose to only shake my head in resignation.

A certain Saint sacrificed her life, her future, and her entire faith all for the sake of the God who lamented over the hellish world which it had become during the Hundred Years' War. A God who cried over the lives lost. A God whose voice only she heard of which cemented an indomitable belief that made her to save her country.

Imagine my disgust when I heard that not only the Church's agents are swinging poorly reforged Last Phantasm which was adored very so by a Knight of the Roundtable, the Church itself had sacrificed innocent people which was supposed to go against the natural teachings the Maid of Orleans believed in. To be honest, I was already on the verge of standing up and departing to Vatican for the sake of burning the entire land down.

The only reason I didn't do so was because there were more important matters than my newly acquired personal vendetta. The Holy Grail. The Class-Piece. And the Excalibur fragments' thievery.

"So... not only a fragment of a holy sword was stolen, a leader of the Fallen Angels Faction was behind it. Does that mean there's a traitor in the Church's ranks to have allowed the thievery?" I asked further, leaving my anxiety over the fact that the same Fallen Angel attacked me several weeks prior.

While the two Exorcists pursed their lips in distaste, they nodded as a response.

"The culprit is most likely Balba Galilei, the heretic who started the entire holy sword project." Irina Shidou explained. "He was supposed to be exiled but he suddenly vanished and the agents sent after him were all killed. Last thing we know, the traces led us to Japan."

"Specifically, this town in particular as the other Exorcists sent here were also eliminated mercilessly." Quarta added.

I swallowed the information and processed it. If that was so, then they... Kokabiel had already planned this all from the beginning, even before I was stranded in this dimension. Was that it? Is it because of my unknown allegiance and nature that made him to suspect me as another Exorcist?

...no. He knew my true identity. Perhaps after observing my actions, he deduced I could be a thorn on his sides. It still didn't explain how he never pursued me after Rider assisted my escape, and the words he said to me... Hmh... Now I couldn't understand. Just what was his true purpose, to observe and even interacting with me? What did he want from knowing me?

"...I see. So it's him..." Yuuto whispered with malice dripping off his words.

Almost everyone looked at him, but they didn't say anything. The youth who survived a forbidden experiment where children were used in order to wield a degraded form of Last Phantasm was clearly vengeful. I could see madness and hatred swirling in those eyes, as they reminded me of the wrathful Chaste Huntress of the Moonlight. That chaotic anger was not something that could be put off with words alone.

Thus I understood the purpose of this discussion. Issei's plan was to help him... is it? It might not lead to a proper conclusion but it was the correct move to be allowed in destroying a fragment of the holy sword. Even though the sword did not do anything, it was still one viable method to smother his vengeance to a degree. But-

"Then it looks like I have to share information as well. The other day I was attacked by a person who had the Excalibur. At that time, he killed a priest. The one who was killed is probably from your organization." The Knight of Gremory reported. "The name of that person is Freed Zelzan. Does this name sound familiar?"

I shifted my gaze to the agents of Church. Their eyes turned sharper at the mention of the name foreign to me, but Issei and Toujou had similar expressions as well. Oh? It seemed something had happened between the Devils and this Freed-person.

"Freed Zelzan. Former Exorcist of the Vatican. The genius who became an Exorcist at the age of 13. He had lots of big achievements because he kept on eliminating Devils and mystical beasts." Shidou explained as if she noticed my and Genshirou's clueless states.

"But he overdid it. He even killed his allies. Freed never had any beliefs towards our God from the start. The only thing he had was fighting instinct and killing intent towards monsters. And an abnormal obsession for battles. It was a matter of time that he'd be charged for heresy." Quarta commented.

...

...that... was not something I expected. An Exorcist with obsession for battles who had no remorse in killing his allies. Did the Church recruit such a lost cause? Has the organization sank to such an extent?

I could only sigh at hearing the degradation of the religious organization Ruler believed in, "Had my comrades been here, they'd have received terrible shocks."

It seemed my idle comment drew intrigued reaction from Quarta. She stared at me with suspicious eyes but there was no longer sharp-as-razor hostility from them.

"So the one who you were accompanied with is a Christian believer?" She asked.

I nodded, feeling no reason to not disclose the harmless information. But saying it with words may draw unnecessary attentions so I simply provided a vague answer.

"Hmph. And yet you are hanging out with these Devils." Quarta snorted.

I shrugged lightly, "While it may be true that I am at a risk for involving myself with the supernatural, does it even matter? Do you require a reason to refuse someone who offered kindness despite having no reason at all?"

Rider helped me even though the act did not possess any merit for him. He had no wish for the Holy Grail and yet all he wanted was to help those in troubles. Such pure kindness might have led him to be taken advantages of for many times in his past life but it was exactly because of that that he was granted a place in the Throne of Heroes.

"...I see. So you wouldn't mind if they betrayed you in turn?" Quarta asked again.

"It still doesn't mean accepting help and helping others as something sinful. No matter what reason they may have, to know that someone possesses a shred of kindness that they extended a hand is far better than knowing a devout believer has no qualm in experimenting children." And I once again replied simply.

The air probably seemed tense judging by the sweats forming on Genshirou's and Issei's faces. Meanwhile, Yuuto nodded as if approving my words alongside Toujou.

"...a sound argument. Fine. I will not ask any more then. Let's move onto the cooperation strategy."

Ah, so you _can_ be somewhat flexible. I smiled thinly at the resigned expressions of the Exorcists, and the atmosphere finally returned back to normal. The only oddity would be how Issei was grinning widely to my direction. Did I even do something strange?

* * *

In the end, everything turned out for the better. With a network of communication formed between us with a passable strategy formed, everyone split off in different directions. I was feeling a bit dispirited since I couldn't meet That Person but to pursue the matter would draw in suspicions from both the Devils and the Church.

Perhaps during the mission, we could pass by each other. Although if the opportunity arose, can I even respond properly...? My heart beat in a very uncomfortable way whenever I recalled that familiar face...

"Thanks a lot, Sieg! You were awesome earlier!" Issei shouted, rekindling his spirits like he usually did.

He's quite an optimist. Perhaps, he can get along with Mordred and Astolfo? Speaking of which...

"You won't ask what happened to me?" I asked, recalling as after the discussion ended, the Devils huddled together for a small talk.

It turned out that Genshirou wanted to know what was going on so he asked for the truth from Yuuto. The result was quite unexpected as he cried like waterfalls and declared he would support Yuuto to fulfill his revenge no matter what. I was quite certain he would face imminent troubles in the future if he continued to act so brazenly but scolding another not of my group isn't to my taste.

I leave that to Sitri-san. Genshirou is her Pawn after all.

"Oh? Well, about that..." Issei scratched his head. "Y'know, it's fine if you don't tell us. Just make sure you're going to be fine or I'm going to have to hit you. Don't make Rider-chan cries!"

...ah. That is... certainly one convincing way to teach me of self-restraint. I nearly forgot that I wasn't with Rider today. He's always sticking close with me and he kept on helping me even when outside of combat. But even when he knew we were not going to stay around each other for long, he still pushed on with a wide, cheerful smile.

For several times I've seen people crying over me, and I think... I, my heart ached whenever I saw those tears. The most notable being Ride for his closeness with me. After asking why he cried, he answered that he thought he could not see me again. To even feel sorrowful for being unable to meet a mere Homunculus... a man-made magical construct...

Because of such kindness, I came to a conclusion:

"Ah. I'll try to not push my luck."

I don't know if words alone were enough. Even so, I know that if I wanted to make the people around me to be happy without having the needs to cry over me... the only choice is to live. To live, even if it were a defeat I have to face.

* * *

"Oh my. Sieg-kun, is there something you need at this hour?" Tsubaki Shinra inquired when he saw me approaching the Student Council Office of Kuoh Academy.

"Is Sitri-san still around?" I asked in a slightly hurried tone due to trekking the elevated grounds between the Academy and the town.

While she seemed confused and looked as if she wanted to ask for what purpose, the Vice President nodded down, answering my question nonetheless.

"Thank you," I smiled, "And I'm sorry. It will not take long."

The girl replied in the same manner albeit it was something I believed as rare even for her, "Not at all! Take your time, Sieg-kun!"

Err... I don't think that is allowed. From what I know, there is a school curfew going on so I doubt Sitri-san who obeyed the rules almost involuntarily could deny that. Ah, but then again, she's a Devil.

Since I was allowed to, I opened the door to the office and called out, "Sitri-san? Are you there? Do you have some time to spare?"

"Huh? Sieg-kun...?" The Devil with bobbed hair cut turned with surprise painting her indifferent mask, "Yes, I do... but you..."

I waved a hand, "I am fine. I have rested enough."

 _I see_ , the girl nodded down in acceptance. It saved me the troubles since Sitri-san was far more cool-headed than most of her peers. I could see that she had drawn a conclusion that I didn't come here only for idle talk as she sat down in her chair.

"And? May I know why you are seeking me out?" Sitri-san asked as the dim orange light of twilight showered the office from the window behind her.

I opted to keep standing as I doubted I'd have much time to do here. It wasn't that I was trying to be disrespectful but at this point, having the slightest sense of sensibility was more than enough.

And so I cut straight to the point, "I would like you to tell me everything you know in regards of the Fallen Angels, especially Kokabiel."

The High-class Devil froze.

No. Freezing over was not the correct wording. She was staring me in the eyes with unreadable expression but soon enough those eyes gained a sharp glint, a razor sharp light that seemed as if it was trying to pierce through my heart.

It was the eyes of a predator.

"And... for what purpose is that information going to be used? The answer you wanted is something that can be considered as top-class and classified, even for the governor of this town, Sieg-kun. Surely you know that such intel is placed at high importance due to its delicate nature that can affect the status quo." Sitri-san explained.

In other words, a dangerous information that was the same as a leverage to start another Great War. I acknowledged the risk right then and there, and understood that even if I wanted to have it, I'd require a price to pay.

"Of course. But what I wish to do is directly opposite to it." I countered. "I have known of the existence of the Exorcists. They are searching for the culprits who stole three Excalibur fragments under their nose and it seemed that a leader of the Fallen Angels participated in the thievery. Perhaps even orchestrated it."

"Then..."

"Other than the thieves being here, under your jurisdiction, Sitri-san... I believe Kokabiel too has long been around, and is already preparing for something using those holy swords."

I finished my deduction and breathed out. It was a strange feeling, to debate over a topic of conversation. But there was not much time. When night arrived, everything could happen. It was the time where Stray Devils went active and it was also the time for the Moonlit World to cast over its hidden dominion.

Night was the time for those who dabbled in thaumaturgy. Within the darkness, under the confine of the shadow cast by civilization, night was the symbol of humanity's fear against the unknown. The Mystery within which all sorts of distortion could occur.

"I need your help, Sitri-san." I told her with a pleading voice. "I do not wish to let dangers befall upon the people in this city."

The only one I could rely on right now was Sitri-san. With Kokabiel choosing to kill me that night, I have lost my guide, my beacon in this dimension; a dimension I did not know of.

If the girl too refused, then I-

"I understand. If that is truly what you believe, Sieg-kun, then I can only respond to your wish in the same way."

Sona Sitri pushed her glasses, a thin approving smile could be seen on her face. I blinked twice before I could process that answer, then a great amount of invisible burden slowly vanished from weighing my shoulders. I exhaled deeply to feel the sensation, the relief I came to recall as familiar.

"But - I have conditions." Sitri-san muttered.

I stared at her with raised eyebrows, "Conditions...?"

"Yes. It's nothing hard to do." She pushed the frame of her glasses once again, this time a glint flashed across the lens.

Was there... a sound that didn't sound natural at all? It was like a mechanism automatically activating.

"So, Sieg-kun... Who did you receive the information from? The Exorcists, the Excalibur fragments and the involvement of a leader of the Fallen Angels. Please tell me everything without lying this time."

It was the first time I saw Sitri-san smirking maliciously. Realizing I have been too hasty, the alternative that was to question the Gremory Heiress for her more direct relation with the incident just dawned in my mind. It was... it's too late now.

"There is no need to hold back. In case you are wondering, this is a cheap price compared to the normally needed procedure to access such specific information," Sitri-san added with a mildly suggestive tone, "Please go on. It will not do if we are not conducting this trade professionally."

...I once again cursed Fafnir for my luck with everything but wealth.

* * *

At the other side of the town, Jeanne was conducting her own investigation.

 _As... if!_ It was the usual mission assigned to her. Kill that crazy Freed Zelzan and old man Balba Galilei no matter what. Also Kokabiel and the two High-class Devils secretly if she could.

Being a young veteran Exorcist, Jeanne had long committed herself in this path. She didn't question whether or not the target of her mission was truly a heretic or not. She simply pressed forward and get the job done. Nothing more, nothing less. Unnecessary emotion was a hindrance in her line of works.

"Still doesn't mean I can't do everything in my own way." Jeanne murmured ruefully, feeling a bit miffed.

She had devoted her life to the Lord. Her entirety was meant to deliver prayers to the God. By doing so, she became the sword and shield of Lord, mercilessly cutting enemy who dared to threaten the general faith and beliefs she prayed for. It was the lifestyle she had chosen, perhaps similar but different to her ancestor in a way. Even so, it was the only thing she possessed for she was the sole descendant of the Maid of Orleans.

Standings. Reputation. Responsibility. Pride. There were many things that pushed her to become who she was now.

However, lately, she had been thinking of other things. Her mind inexplicably wandered as she grew older, and she sometimes took on her whims without logical reasons. She remained devoted during her missions, of course, but when it was everything in-between, she didn't mind having a sip of mundane pleasure other people always took for granted.

"Maybe Sieg-kun was right. I'm way too easy to be swayed." Jeanne muttered, about to laugh at the thought.

 _"That being the case, you are still young. Curiosity is within your nature as one, Jeanne d' Arc."_

Jeanne stiffened. The Exorcist realized something was wrong and she reached up to the hilt of her sword hidden beneath the cloak. She was also already turning toward the origin of the voice, which eerily held no emotion whatsoever.

It was weird. As if... the speaker was speaking simply for the sake of speaking.

"You are well-guarded. I see. It seems that this world has not yet lost the sharpness of war, to have a legend-in-the-making such as you." The person said, nodding lightly as she stood in the middle of the alley.

Jeanne narrowed her eyes, "Well, I am flattered. But I don't think we have met before, do we...?"

Her amethyst-colored eyes reflected the figure of a girl wearing jet-black gothic dress, her blonde hair was finely texture it seemed as if it was sprinkled with golden dust. Her slender physique suggested she was a young woman in her late teens but with strangely pale white skin that seemed as if she had never met the light of the sun.

However, what struck Jeanne the most was perhaps her beauty.

A marred beauty, as despite bearing brilliant golden-colored eyes, they were devoid of light and looking so lifeless, so empty. Her complexion was deathly pale as if she was sick but there was no disturbance in that facial. It was like a cover, a mask that held not even the slightest bare of emotion, a mask that horribly befit her.

"Indeed. While I do not know of your ancestor's legend until recently, you indeed possess her heroic heart. Your faith is yet another matter that I found respect and acknowledgement in." The young woman bowed her head slightly, seemingly conveying the respect she said with sincerity.

Even so, there was no emotion in those words. That indifferent attitude. That respect many would say as stating a fact. Jeanne found that it was her first time to know that a human could be so... so mechanical, like a soulless doll.

And it unnerved her. Very much so.

"I... see... May I know who am I speaking to? Also, do you need something from me?" Cautiously Jeanne asked.

The dusk was about to end in less than five minutes. Vermilion and purple could be seen at the sky far behind the emotionless girl as if night was invited by her. But as times went by, Jeanne realized her hands were palpitating, the hairs on her back going colder as her body rattled under invisible pressure.

"Yes." The girl nodded, "It is an honor to be known by the descendant of a Saint. Regardless of the rotten ties shared between our lands in the past, it is still a memorable event to meet an incarnation of a hero."

Steadily she bowed, impassive as she had been. The girl whose golden-colored eyes closed as she elegantly introduced herself like a knight would in front of a royalty.

"Unfortunately, I have abandoned my name for the glory and life I carved has already ended long ago. However, I have but a single order given by my Master: I am tasked to take back what is rightfully mine from your side, Jeanne d' Arc."

As the dark sky prevailed, armors woven from thin air manifested. The girl was clad with jet-black armors that looked as if they were tainted by something dark, something evil. Held in her hand was a sword that seemed so big and heavy that someone like her would no doubt have been unable to handle it properly.

The blade was jet-black with cursed red linings decorating it. There was nothing that could describe the sword as even glancing at it caused Jeanne to wince. Black mist and light seemed to wrap the sword with enormous magical energy seeping out as the blade sung in the girl's grasp. But there was something that she could be sure of.

That sword was tainted. That sword was beautiful beyond comparison that even the term 'beautiful' was unsuitable for it, as if the word would taint it. That sword was the deadliest weapon she had ever seen. Yet that sword was something she could never forget even if her memories were erased, and she would surely die should its blade reached her.

"Draw your sword, descendant of the Saint!"

Blasting the air and destroying the concrete pavement with a kick of a foot, the girl launched herself forward to begin her assault.

* * *

"Huff... I guess I picked the wrong choice." I loosened my collars slightly, trying to breathe a little greedier than usual.

It couldn't be helped. I declined the offer and excused myself like a coward I was. Issei told me to kept the cooperation under wraps so to sell my friends out would be against my codes. However...

"I'm quite certain she's angry. Sitri-san couldn't look colder than back there." I recalled the young Devil's expression and then suppressed the memories altogether.

How could I not? It was frightening, as if shards of ice were wrapping my heart and brain at the same time. Not only that, I think the room was filled with freezing white mist though I wondered if it was a type of Magecraft only Sitri-san could do. Rather than a spell that bent the laws... it felt as if the prana of the surroundings was converted into one element.

But again, I wouldn't want to recall her coldest fury just yet. I had more things to do-

"Hm?" I shifted my sight to the left, peering into an alleyway covered by jet-black darkness.

Night had prevailed. It was the time where the town became deathly quiet like a ghost town, where common people slept while being unable to notice the dangers of the Moonlit World. It was tranquil, but it was the same as a graveyard where the living could not be seen. Perhaps the murder cases going on in the middle of the night have alarmed the people, as the victims were all Exorcists sent by the Church.

And then I realized that my mind wandered to a grim possibility. What about those three new Exorcists...? Will they be targeted as well-

 _'Siiiiieeeeggg! You there?!'_ A loud voice bordering hysterical echoed in my head.

I winced slightly but the familiarity the voice brought made me to realize that I had yet again forgotten something important.

"R-Rider?" I let out my voice unconsciously.

The telepathic link was filled with a deep relieved sigh. But in no less than a second, it was filled with loud words that ranged from worries to angry scoldings. I couldn't help but wincing as had it been someone else who became Rider's Master, their sanity would probably already be lost.

 _'Now you get it?! Where are you!?'_ Rider finished with a question that warranted some attentions.

And maybe it was most fitting. A Master staying around the empty neighborhood without a Servant was anything but suicidal. It was simply unthinkable and crossing over stupidity. Still, though-

"I'm four blocks away from the mansion. Southwest." I answered as my eyes returned back to stare at the alleyway. "I need your help, Rider. I found a bounded field in an active state."

I stumbled upon it because my senses were alarmed. I thought it was just one of the bounded fields used to protect the Devils' families. The energy was similar to a degree that it meshed with the others I have recorded in my memories. But from up close... it was not a passive one used to defend or to conceal a Workshop. It wasn't even something made with the unusual power Devils such as Gremory and Sitri-san emitted.

At least, not when prana of the livings and the surroundings are being drained by it.

* * *

"It's... I don't know. This looks very dangerous. It can hide stuff and it can predate on prana efficiently." Rider who arrived with his armors on tilted his head.

For him, to cross the distance of several kilometers was nothing but a light walk. I admitted I was quite jealous for I could not do the same without using Magecraft, also because my draconic traits would force me to feed on the prana of all living things nearby through respiration alone. Should I have no control over my strength, this country would turn into a dead wasteland.

Nevertheless, I would like to investigate this bounded field as quickly as possible. While my Magic Resistance may allow me to enter it, but I wouldn't know if it was a trap or not. If I remembered correctly, Rider possessed a Noble Phantasm that could negate most if not all Magecrafts below A-Rank, thus why I chose to wait for his arrival.

"Can you dispel it, Rider?" I asked.

"Of course I can! But well..." The Heroic Spirit faltered. "Uh... what was it again? That Noble Phantasm I had?"

...I deeply sighed. As I thought, Rider was still forgetful. It was a sad thing to know that his curse could not be lifted even though ages had passed. Then again, perhaps my perception of time was skewed as I lived in the Land Where No Man Could Ever Reaches. Sometimes I wondered if time flowed differently in the Surface World and the Reverse Side of the World, as from what I have heard, people such as Caules and Fiore were still around while having aged only for about a decade or so.

At any rate, "It's a book. A grimoire, I think. You called it a manual."

I gave the clues because I was being cautious. To suddenly expose a Heroic Spirit's Noble Phantasm's name was nothing less than sheer stupidity. Fortunately, Rider had a legend which caused him to have a wide array of Noble Phantasms, and he continued to have more after I was gone. But even if the pieces were placed together correctly, Rider had no real 'weakness' that could harm him critically unlike many Heroic Spirits out there.

Then again, he's quite average as a Servant so if I don't support him we will not have a real chance to win the Holy Grail War.

"Oh, right! Wasn't it something like this?" Rider pulled out a grimoire from the belt that strapped some of his many Mystic Codes. "Mmm... the name was **Luna**..."

..huh?

" **Break**... **Manual**?"

The grimoire opened, it's pages fluttered, the ancient letters carved on them shone. It was enough to blind my sight for an instance and Rider yelped. As the light faded though... now there was a definite _crack_ on the empty space before us.

It was small but the running crack multiplied, spreading noisily, messily, then shattered altogether to make a small but unremarkable path into... the... bounded field...?

"...Uh... Rider? Is there another realm within the bounded field?" I pointed out as the scenery within it was devastated.

If I were to look at the landscape above the cracks, there was nothing unusual. Nothing but a quiet residential district. Yet... the opposite spoke the truth as I acknowledged the rubble contained by the magical wards carved through a combination of ancient letters and materials that suggested strong skill in alchemy.

Inside the bounded field was a ruin. While far away, there were houses that still stood upright, the areas around the pathway looked as if they were blown away, pulverized by something akin to Prana Burst. It was... eerily similar to how Saber of Red's Noble Phantasm would affect the surroundings.

"Master, I dunno what you're talking about but..." Raider trailed off.

But...? I peered at my Servant. He grinned widely and pulled me by the wrist.

"Got it! Let's enter!"

"Wha-?"

I was brought into the bounded field without my consent. When we entered, the cracks spread even further and I realized there was a dissonance, a distortion enough to twist the magical wards. It would probably require time and some efforts but the space... the secondary realm contained in the bounded field would maybe collapse for certain.

In other words, we must not stay here for lon-

"...Rider. Stop." I told my Servant in a cold tone that made him to halt.

It wasn't an order but he noticed, perhaps. There was something different with my voice.

"...Sieg...?" He asked as I slowly stood on my own two feet, listlessly staring at the sky above.

The atmosphere was different. Just by being here, I realized how powerful the effects of the bounded field was. Within an enclosed space, it drained prana from the small gaps within the fabrics of reality, as well as the branches of leylines running deep below the ground. Even though I wasn't sure why would it even need the ability to copy the landscape, the quality of the ward was extraordinarily above what most Magi could produce.

This alternate realm is... filled with magical energy. Enough to supply Magecraft some steps behind Sorcery, and enough to let two Servants to unleash their strongest Noble Phantasms for several times. To tell the truth, it's almost overflowing but... Something drifted in the air. Something familiar. Something similar to the acidic rust. Something resembled blood.

And it was the blood of a person who I knew way too well to even dismiss it as a mere coincidence.

* * *

 _It's no use..._

That was the last thought Jeanne had when she confronted the Dark Knight. It wasn't like her at all to even conclude the result of a battle she had barely participated in but this was different. It was different because she knew, understood, and believed on it strongly.

From the stance she had. From the way she swung her broadsword. From the way she carried herself like a general leading an army in merciless wars. And from her strength that exceeded her wildest imaginations. All of that caused Jeanne to acknowledge the threat, and when the Excalibur fragment slipped off her maimed hand... she thought of one thing.

She could not win against her, even if she were to pour her entire life for the sake of defeating her. The difference... was too much.

"Hm... even with those wounds, you are still conscious. Is it because of your faith too? Or is it because of your own will to resist death?" The knight asked, pulling the holy sword stabbed on a piece of rubble. "Regardless, the victor has been decided. I will now relinquish my sword, Maid of Orleans."

Her sight flickered, encroached by the darkness. Lying on the ground, her hurting body could no longer move as she wanted to. Not even an inch.

Of course, something within her scoffed. She was defeated, resisted when asked to give up and was tossed like a ragdoll as a result. It wasn't even a fight as the... engagement ended in less than five minutes. It all began with the knight's initiative, then ended with the knight's complete victory. While she was a bloody mess, the Black Knight was unscathed, nor was she exhausted with all the chase around this alternate realm.

Jeanne wondered if there was someone this strong. Someone that could rival Siegfried, perhaps even surpassing him in every aspect. While she thought the knight was a human, a part of her believed she was far stronger than humanity as a whole. Her strength was simply _unreal._

But... "...your... sword...?" Jeanne forced words out despite her damaged organs sending fiery feedback through the nerves. "...Ex...calibur... is not... yours... it is... the Church's..."

The knight who stood at the edge of her peripheral sight was silent. There was no movement but it seemed as if she had heard something odd.

"...I see. So they did not even tell you. No, perhaps that is just how it is. Even in my time, the truth could not be spread wide lest it lend a hand to a greater calamity." She muttered as if resigned.

 _'...in... my... time'...?_

"For one such as you, it might be best to remain ignorant. You have tried to fulfill your duty, your prayers devoted innocently for the God for your entire life and in some ways... you are burned from that same faith."

The knight walked by her. Her gaze remained emotionless as she strode away, untarnished like an invincible hero who had won a vicious war.

"It is not my place to answer your doubts. You are still young, still ignorant of how the world works. Therefore, rest well. Forget this all happened, and preserve that innocence well, descendant of the Saint."

With her back turned against her, the knight left her sight. Soon enough, darkness overcame her will and her eyes closed. In the cold darkness, there was no longer any shred of resistance as she slept for certain.

 _Had it been not for a roar that resembled one of a Beast._

* * *

My vision was red.

The world was red.

All was dyed red.

I didn't know why or how it became like this. All I remembered was red of blood and then nothing else.

 _"You are..."_

I heard a voice but I was sure it was nothing but a past memory. It was familiar. It was nostalgic, even when there was no semblance of emotion in that voice. I wondered why but the throbbing red filling my mind prevented me to think, and disallowed me to remember the memories I cherished.

 _"A Beast... a Primate Murderer? Wrong..."_

There was the distant sound of screeches. There was devastation on a land that was already half-ruined. As the scenes flashed, deep red once again throbbed and threw me into a loop of stunned dazes.

 _"Sieg...! Snap out of it!"_

I heard a familiar voice and I gained control over my body again. My senses returned but when I realized, one of my arms was already cut off. A black flash blinded my eyes and the scenery distorted only to return to normal when my back struck something sturdy like walls of concrete, pinning me on it like a frog smashed to the wall.

"I see... so you are the same..."

As my sight fell on a destroyed pavement where red and black flames danced, a figure stood, her armors cracked, dirt stained her beautiful-yet-stoic visage.

In her hands were a black sword emitting dazzling black flame. The blade was about 90-centimeters in length, possessed a cross guard, a long hilt for two hands to hold, and a small pommel. Black was its color as it enveloped every part of the sword with red sinister linings engraved from the sword guard down to the blade.

It was a weapon. A tool for killing, but also to protect. It had a name. It was a sword, but it was too beautiful that even the word would stain it. It was perhaps crafted by something beyond human understanding.

"But you are different. We are the same and yet so different. Is it because your choice allowed you to live in such way?" The knight asked before shaking her head. "Regardless. It seems I have failed to accomplish my duty. Even so, you are an obstacle for my Master. Thus..."

The sword flared, black flames erupted from its entirety. The enormous tainting flames expanded the sword into a weapon meant to smite something more than humans. A flame meant to destroy everything. A dark radiance that seemed as if it was powered by the wills of the planet.

 _"Haa!"_ She yelled as she swung the blazing dark flame upward to bisect me.

Before darkness engulfed memories flooded in and I recited the keywords that crossed my mind.

" **Logic path/open**!"

I extended my cut off arm forward and a hole opened up. Inhaling prana from the surroundings, I flowed the energy to the barrel that was structured in my arm to manifest a blade crafted by a spell.

When the Servant's sword was about to slash me, the severed arm shot out a sword towards her chest.

"...!" By reflex she skidded to a halt, spun on her heels and dodged the blasted sword which flew faster than an arrow.

Due to it her attack turned erratic, the black flame waving just above my head before pulverizing a house into nothingness rather than disintegrating me. I descended to the ground then jumped back as the knight had already recovered and charged ahead.

The ruin blew apart as she took a leap, her body coated with a burst of prana that I realized very similar to that of the Knight of Treachery. Guided by familiarity and honed reflex, I once again materialized a blade that was fired through my arm.

It was deflected of course so the knight approached me even closer to enter her range. I gritted my teeth when the sword slashed down, carving a wide gash on my torso even though my body was one of a Dragon. Before she followed up I already stepped back and dodged several blinding slashes by a hair breadth though it didn't stop me from being blown away by the winds they produced.

I landed clumsily after I broke through a wall of a house and exiting it. Getting back up on another ruined road, the clouds of dust in front of me scattered with the arrival of the swordswoman who struck down with her flame-clad sword.

Rather than blocking it, I opted to avoid it. Once I reinforced my entire body and senses to the limits, I could see the attacks but barely capable of matching her entire movement. My other arm manifested a sword that shattered upon contacting that blackened sword and I was pushed back, thrown off the ground again and again and again.

It was impossible to match her swordsmanship. There was no opening I could utilize, no chance to use nor a second to cast my attentions elsewhere. Her attack was extraordinarily strong, precise, frank, heavy and decisive without doubts or elegance. At this point, I was simply devoting myself only for the sake of struggling with the instinct to survive as a crutch for my dwindling mind as well as focus.

"Impressive." At one point the knight voiced out a monotonous opinion. "No wonder _He_ holds you in high regards. You possess a great potential, Sieg."

 _But,_ she added before the twenty-third clash between our swords. It was obvious that my makeshift sword was destroyed once again and the fierce wind brought me to a distance away; this time the knight did not pursue me for the momentum.

Feeling something as strange, I released the breath I wasn't aware of holding, "...what...?"

"It is unfortunate that we must part ways here." The blonde knight shifted her gaze upward. "It seems the wards have reached their limits in sustaining this realm. Also, my Master desires my immediate return."

As I processed her words, a telepathic link blared through my mind.

 _'Sieg! If you're still alive, get out of there!'_

"Rider...? But-"

When I looked ahead, the Servant bowed her head and promptly vanished, leaving a broken concrete pavement and clouds of dust. I blankly stared at the scene and only when the sky cracked did I snap out of my dazed state. Only now did I realize the vermilion lights falling from those cracks. I felt the distortion in the space leaping in bounds with the flows of prana going haywire.

Electricity crackled alongside the descent of fragments of the fake night sky. My back shivered as pieces of rubble began to float and then disintegrating, proving that the laws of physics working in this place were crumbling as well. This ruination... perhaps it's happening because Rider recited the wrong name of his Noble Phantasm, making it to work incorrectly in nullifying the bounded field.

 _'Get off there, please! We're already out here!'_ Rider shouted once again through the telepathic link.

I frowned, "'We'...?"

 _'This world's Jeanne! Did you forget her?!_ '

...ah... that's... that's...

"That's right... I..." I exasperated, staggering as the entire memories prior to that confrontation dawned upon me.

I saw... her. I saw her unmoving form. I saw her wounds, grave enough to threaten her life. I saw her bloodied form on the ground while the black knight stood still with two swords, one a holy sword and another was that tainted sword. Then... then I... I...

I attacked her. I attacked the knight with all of my fury, only to be beaten back with stoic calmness. I... what kind of stupidity have I done?

 _'Oy, Sieg! Hey!'_ Thankfully, Rider once again pulled me back from the shock I was engulfed in.

Shaking my head, I responded hastily, "A-ah... I got it, Rider... I, I'm on my way.'

I looked around and reinforced my legs to escape from the distorted bounded field. As I dashed through the landscape that had received more damages than earlier, I couldn't care less even when I felt as if I was being watched by something. Maybe it was that Servant from earlier.

Who was she? Was she the one who set up this intricate bounded field? Why did she look so familiar? Why was her technique... her skills resembled Saber of Red? And what was her purpose here?

Even with all the questions weighing my mind, all I could focus on was that I would have died had this place not been on the verge of collapsing. For certain, death was about to grasp me had it been not for Rider's misconduct. I... I was so close from being killed.

"What have I done...?"

Eventually, I questioned myself for the recklessness which I thought had long disappeared after the Great Holy Grail War. I had lived through turbulent time in the Reverse Side of World. I had long tempered my mind for the sake of fulfilling my duty, regretting nothing even though I was isolated from my kin and comrades as a consequence. I have accepted my fate, choosing my path with steeled resolve. And yet...

"Why? Why is my emotion running out of control now...?"

* * *

 **-Author's Rambling-**

 _"This...! Is...! SPAR-TAAAAAAAAAA!"_

In commemoration of the 300 followers (see the blatant reference there?), I've decided to think of this story more carefully than ever. It's also because of the Servants that will be introduced in the future development but it's mainly because of the direction this story is going to.

As of now, my main concern lies in the supernatural battle between Servants. The work is still incomplete (e.g. The scene above) since I haven't played any of the FSN for _years._ I'm still not sure if this kind of battle pictured the height where Heroic Spirits clashed on. It's just... the amount of ridiculous stunts they can do are above my imagination. Really, they're already powerful when they were alive but if the lore is integrated, the strength spiked with additional bonus skills and parameter changes. I must check on their profiles, make a mock-passage, double-checking, then finally putting the conforming abilities into the scene while comparing them with working rules since it's Fate fanfic we're talking about, even if it's a crossover. Damn realistic tidbits often pointed out by many.

If the battle scene is (truly) lacking, I need help ASAP. Excalibur Arc is entering the halfway mark so I hope I won't screw up badly.

P.S: Forgot to tell you. As suggested by a reader, today we have Tiger Dojo flipped out into something else.

* * *

 **-Tavern of Heroes-  
**

Late at night, a two-story tavern was crowded with its usual customers. However, this time, something was happening-

Illya (dressed in waitress uniform): Wait a minute! Isn't this happening _too_ fast!? Since when did a rundown dojo became a tavern with two floors and a basement?!

Chloe (same clothing style): Ignore it, Illya. Anything can happen here. Even the Author allowed fourth-wall breaking. Oh yeah, here's your order, Lancer.

Chu Culainn: Thanks a lot, missy! So hear me, Master. I ain't doubting our lucks are poor enough to not make us appearing in canon again.

Scathach: You expect a godslayer and a Servant that couldn't survive Holy Grail War even in all three routes to appear? *raises an eyebrow* Please, Setanta. You're way too drunk.

Illya: Wagh! Kuro, aren't you being _too_ laidback!? Or rather, why are those _two_ here?!

Chloe: Psht. Illya, that pun is unnecessary. Anything can happen in this do-tavern, y'know?

Taiga (in bartender outfit): Oy, you two! Move your hands, not your mouths! *throws a thick glass mug that roared a demonic tiger's roar*

Illya: Gebuh!? *THUD!* Wh-why...?

Chloe: So Torashinai becomes Toramug here... Did Sieg altered its shape? Maa, anyway, this tavern is located adjacent to Throne of Heroes so as expected, Heroic Spirits would lurk around as customers.

Illya: ...d-do they even pay for the alcohols?

Shuten (currently ranked 9): Oyaoya~ Another challenger~? Come, come! Let's drink the night away~!

MHX (currently ranked 8): G-gh...! How dare you! Even though you're rock bottom at the Big 10 list! Fine! I'll have some too!

Nightingale (currently ranked 7): Do not drink more than necessary. Alcohol destroys your liver.

Jeanne (same rank as above): U-ugh... My Lord forbids getting drunk. I'm sorry but-

Shuten: Oh ho ho~! Bad child! You shouldn't try to skulk away like that~ Ara, you have golden hair same like him.

Jeanne: W-wait! Where are you touching?!

Chloe: *staring with deadpan eyes* ...Well, as expected, those four have rotten lucks too. 33, 25 and 20 huh.

Illya: They increased! What's going on?!

Chloe: Well, this is how the author interprets their behaviors. Think of it as how he will create their base characters if they appeared for real in the story. If the readers don't like how he would portray them, then he'll remove them like Collective Wills do their usual stuff. By the way, the numbers i mentioned are their respective votes.

Illya: It's a teaser dialogue?! Wait, we're breaking the fourth wall too much this time!

Chloe: Then again, Gaia-chan and Alaya-chan are upstairs dueling for Onii-chan's ownership. He went straight heroic badass in chapter 43 of Drei they fell in love all over again. Gaia-chan is being a tsundere though since she wants him to properly become a Heroic Spirit unlike her counterpart.

Illya: They what?!

Taiga: Work, you dimwit! *shot another Toramug*

Illya: *SMASH!* Uncle?!

Chloe: Oh yeah. Forgot these guys over here. *pulls out the orders* The orders are distilled alcohols with cups made from the skulls of humans.

Nobunaga (rank 5): Hoh hou! Tis but what we waited for!

Paracelsus (rank 6): Hmm... quite a novel experience indeed to drink using such medium. *thoughtful*

Nobunaga: Tis suits us well, servant! We shall appreciate this!

Chloe: Your gratitude knows no bound, milord. *elegantly bows* Oh yeah, Illya. These two have 38 and 37 votes.

Illya: Ugh... s-so...?

Chloe: Common sense dictates Nobu-chan shouldn't appear due to her power level, while Paracelsus-san can be somewhat bipolar considering how passive he is in GO but psychopathic in Fate/prototype. Heck, these two are abnormal just like Arjuna-san, who's ranked 3rd with 53 votes.

Illya: *slowly gets up* Y-yeah... I can see that. But Arjuna-san isn't bad... right?

Chloe: Humans ain't divided into black and white alone. *sighs deeply* Even someone like him can be quite evil. Remember the archery competition Karna-san tried to jump in? Then again, problem with Indian Heroes are because they're ridiculously powerful. Most are even immortals with anti-world NPs like Karna-san.

Illya: Un... that's bad.

Chloe: Seriously bad. You'd rather put them in fictions depicting interplanetary wars to have a proper match. I think Sidonia has a missile that can pulverize a planet so it should be that kind of crossover. But well, the author is kind of an idiot so he forgot to set up basic rules for the competition. *shrugs*

Illya: You're right... Uh, so here's your orders?

Atalanta (rank 4): Thank you, child. Helping your family, I see? *smiles warmly*

Illya: Heh? Ah, well... *scratches cheek* I was just dragged along.

Chloe: Heh heh...! Of course we are, Onee-chan! *grinning slyly*

Atalanta: Ufu fu...! I see. That's good to hear. So, little one. Would you like hot milk with roasted apple?

Jack-ko (rank 3 with same counts as Arjuna): Oh...!

Chloe: *stands a bit further away* Huh. I guess that's just how they're going to be even with their _stellar_ past.

Illya: It sure is heartwarming...! They're like mother and child!

Chloe: Maa, Atalanta-san is still going to be like that. She's actually pretty stubborn with her ideal as she mentioned she understood there are evils that only certain people, even children can do. In fact, it's similar to how Onii-chan's dream is.

Illya: ...I think she doesn't deserve being corrupted like that in canon.

Chloe: Such is life. Hell, it's because Collective Wills are around that fates can be set in stone. Had it been not for Root and them, then the world can work like ordinary archtypes of shounen-mangas.

Illya: I just hope those two can have happier conclusions though.

Chloe: To tell the truth, those two are the author's favorites for Sieg's Servants. Considering one is tied against Arjuna-san and the other is still three steps behind, I think the possibility is very likely.

Illya: It's too bad Zenithzwei-san never cared for the common grounds. He even believed the fanfic would fail like his other stories.

Chloe: Blame his weak self-esteem then. Oh yeah, here's the sake you ordered!

Tamamo (rank 2): Mufufu~! Thanks a lot! Now Jekyll-kun, let us toast for being the second and the first contenders with large gaps against everyone else!

Jekyll (rank 1): Y-yeah...! Cheers!

Tamamo: So so, since you've 93 votes, are you going to appear next? *sips while tails are wagging*

Jekyll: From the looks of it... I wonder if I can do well. If Hyde appears, I'd become a giant werewolf...

Tamamo: Who can still live for several minutes even with Excalibur driven through your spiritual core. You're basically the toughest Servant there is since even Herakles-kun couldn't be _that_ tough. I think you can even survive being attacked with Gil-kun's Ea. If Shiro-bou can do that in UBW and Prisma, why can't you?

Jekyll: *takes a deep breath and sighs* Yeah... I don't want that to happen though. It still hurts even when Hyde is awake.

Tamamo: Ara, please have some more pride. It's a honest praise after all!

Jekyll: *Blushes* Th-thank you, Miss Tamamo. I think you've done excellent job too since your votes reached 68.

Tamamo: One more addition and I'd have called for a certain bed technique with Master! Mufufufuuu!

Jekyll: B-bed technique...!? Y-you mean sixty-ni-

Tamamo: *places a finger on the lips* Jekyll-kun...? A woman's secret shouldn't be revealed so easily, you know?

Jekyll: Uuuugh...?! *overheats* ...a...alright...

*Chloe and Illya awkwardly stayed away*

Illya: Somehow, aren't they being lovey-dovey already?

Chloe: No no, Tamamo-sama is one heck of a Servant. Doubling as a goddess in her past life, she pretty much is loved because who she is. Her character is very well-developed, her motive is just and even with her uselessness, she's still coming out stronger than before with her girlpower. Also, she loves humanity because of who they are so by extension, Sieg and other human Servants in the group can be said as a big family.

Illya: Not that she will give up her spot as a legal wife right? Most of the candidates are female Servants.

Chloe: Well, Mordred-chan wouldn't think twice on refusing to be lumped together. She'd probably act as a Bro or frienemy with her wild character.

Illya: I see... As expected of the Treacherous Knight. *nod nod* But what about her power?

Chloe: Well... without Blue and CCC's features, she can't ascend into a Goddess right? And she loves being ordinary Servant so a youkai born from the Stone of Death can be a solid, reasonable setting.

Taiga: WORK ALREADY! *Toramug flew to strike the two Einzberns with a chain combo successfully.* Hmph! I'm not paid enough for this! And it's not like the people around here can pay up except some like Goldie!

Shirou (hired chef): Wait. Then why am _I_ here?!

Caules (cashier registry): And why the hell am _I_ here?!

 _Night flew as the Tavern of Heroes once again rolled with everything. Well, Heroes can get bored sitting on thrones for eternity after all._

Shirou&Caules: Don't just roll with it dammit!

*rushing footsteps*

Gaia-chan (wearing toga with the form of gudako): Shiroooooouuuu! You're hired! Now cook some meals for me! Also, have a date with me as Butler-class Heroic Spirit!

* * *

 **RAC!**

j: Sure. Votes accepted.

Ehh im a guest: He's a king. A GOLDEN KING! You expect him not to be awesome?! Shifting that aside, it has been speculated that Jeanne and Siegfried were once a part of the Church and then betrayed them by joining KB. Reasons unknown but if we can set aside Cao Cao's ambition, they are prominent figures in Christianity so it's (almost) a given. It can be linked that they found out the truth hidden away by the Angels and higher ups. Also, Pendragon is confirmed as having nothing to do with the Church, and Arthur is in Vali's group from first appearing. He said there's a bad blood between him and them that he left with Le Fay. And yeah, you'll have to wait for Rider's explanation about him.

Knight of Steam: As a matter of fact, this has already been planned before the story officially begins.

LL: It would be a different matter if Jeanne of DxD is a real witch rather than a saint. If it was Jeanne!Alter then there _can_ be some ways. Who knows? The truth is always blurry when it comes to the distant past. Ophis? What's her relation with this all? Then Koneko must have noticed something about Sieg if she stopped Issei from teaching him the divinity of H.

ZJ: Well, what do you think? Look forward to it!

Master of Dragons God: Thanks for the praise!

Azul: Uh-huh. Votes accepted.

Lord Zod: I'm honored to have a spot with that great work. Thank you! And Votes accepted.

Student: You're not incorrect but there are still some more clues to be find out... Well, you'll figure it out eventually since you're already on the right path. You know what? Sieg's contracted with Rider. It's already like Heaven's Fell all-over again with the MC having the help of Rider-class Servant against Saber Alter.

Sky Magician: As expected of a Magician, you have some nasty idea there. Admittedly, Siegfried(DxD) can be said as Sieg's distant relative, just like how Grey is to Arturia though the latter case has so much mysteries to uncover (u know, the usual discrepancies of legend). But it's more because of Fafnir's curse running their blood maybe. If Siegfried is truly a descendant of the hero Siegfried then he'd have some partial-immortality just like Sieg's heightened lifespans and strength. Regarding Xenovia... actually, she and Roland is probably similar in some ways more than meets the eyes.

King0fP0wers: Tokyo Ghoul is full of trainwrecks. I mean, I didn't even expect Arima's complexity can increase just by short explanation and some flashbacks. Some would say the story is a mess but the charm is the characters and their personal views. It's amazingly done well. About this chapter, though. I did my very best but feel dissatisfied since I couldn't convey Sieg's emotions as I envisioned it to be. There's just not enough space to explain without breaking my rule over explanation-length. If I went on, it'd turn into irrelevant and incoherent psychological counseling which can branch away messily.

Mard Geer: Well, staying true to the title of the chapter is one of my forte. There are lots of 'coincidence' happening ain't there?

hey: Umhm, I don't want to make a flawless character after all. Mary Sue and Gary Stu are all my archenemies!

Tamamo-chan: Votes accep... Wait, what?

Erastone: He already disclosed Sieg's a Master. Let's just sit warmly and watch for more chaos to unfold. The lead is (un)surprisingly, the split-faced Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde of the Berserker-class! And to tell the truth, I've been meaning to do that but Sieg's stubborn in only the field of magecraft alone. He respects several such as Caules or Fiore but most Magi would be his target of fury.

bob: Got it.

Boomlancer: Yeah. The individual personalities are quite stronk on the popular choices. Quite unhelpful even if judged logically. I'd better make sure I have a backup if they affect future development negatively. Don't worry though, Jekyll is confirmed to be the king for this round so... yeah. Think that gag can totally happen.

Thunder Dragon: To tell the truth, I have some problem concerning that crossover. Not because of the idea as impossible but it's because... well, even Sieg himself is way too powerful in Halkegenia. It's not a problem if he (and only he alone of the Nasuverse) is summoned as Louise's familiar, but everything's no doubt going down to hell if other Void Familiars were Heroic Spirits and Sieg summoning multiple Servants happened. The former could be said as a balancer but the latter can break the story into a simple story where there's no actual challenge at all. Unless, of course, the enemies are as powerful as King Arthur for each.

Answer1: It can happen but it ultimately depends on my pen and brain.

Answer 2: There's another Servant around and she's clearly hostile. Who knows? She _might be_ related to the whole incident of vol.3

The True UBW: Well, what do ya think?

Theflyingcat: Sorry, haven't played it yet so I'm unsure of it.

archy: And other Servants? The Berserker, Caster and Assassin haven't been filled yet.

TYRFTCH: Right... Anyway, votes accepted.

Mr. Tanaka: I don't want the issues be left out after all. Even Sieg has his own problems and he's not just 'a good guy' in my dictionary. Well, it's true that Nightingale as a character has not enough depth to explore. Feels like her personality is quite... one-dimensional. It's dissimilar but not different to Shirou's naive ideal *glare at UBW and Fate routes*. Though saying that, Jekyll pretty much ruled the selection. Who knows what'll happen at the end of Excalibit Arc?

JZ: Jeanne Alter is actually highly expressive and temperamental, but this one is emotionless. Noticed anything from the description?

rias: Whut? Since when Ravel can go Alter?

Azrael: Sure. Votes accepted.

Craven: What about the slot for Archer and Assassin?

a guest: Mhmm... Can you explain why you choose them? It's just for a little research.

Jack-O-Lantern: Then, please tell me who you are voting for Archer and Assassin to make this counts.

Kirin: Let's find out later, okay? Well, we already have TWO Sieg, despite one is real descendant and the other is one with a heart implant. Then again, other characters' allegiances are up in the air until the story unfolded. You guessed correct for the newest addition of character.

Shaker: A harem... might be inevitable. It's just how it is since Siegfried had the gall to be stuck between his wife Kriemhild and Brynhildr. Or rather, it'd be _historically accurate_ if Sieg and Siegfried have problems in relationships. The thing is, even if his Servants were all females, I won't go down the path where they're all attracted to him. Just NO. Issei is already one huge ball of it. The Servants will have their own life, their own outlooks, their own circles, their own problems and their own secrets to share so they CAN be not a part of the harem even if readers wanted them to be. In the end, it all depended on my desire and objective in writing this story.

Fumi chan: I think I'm going to open a poll for the third story. This one is already set as a 'long-length series' so I don't think my ideas can endure being hidden from fresh air.

Guest-san: Using everything at my disposal is already my motto. And about Heroic Spirits... While no doubt Vali would want to fight one, but I wonder if his allies want to. It's basically summoning a dead hero as a familiar. Arthur would probably frown at the act if he's truly the descendant of the King of Knights.

Arjuna: Right...what about the others? Assassin. Berserker and Caster.

LastEncore: They indeed can. Especially in _this_ Holy Grail War.

Sinov: Let's see how things play out first, alright?

Henry Jekyll: ...uh... G-got it.

Ost: Okay.

Nobunaga Archer: As expected of a Demon King, not fearing even against the hero of laser beam.

Signor Vali: Probably want to duke it out. Using Dress Break or bilingual only to fail maybe?

Minx: Well, this selection is simply because Jeanne (Heroic Spirit) is of the Ruler category, has an Alter version, and she is a neutral party. But DxD Jeanne will probably match as a vessel though the repercussions might cause concerns for two men with dragonblood running in their veins.

KILLAH OPA: It's inevitable. The problem will appear be it sooner or later as long as Sieg is in DxDverse.

Camelot: At least the King herself is out in the open, and we've got Mordred ready to be set loose.

Niko: Unfortunately, both the ballot and myself cannot agree. I also don't know who this Ramses is. Haven't read F/PF yet.

Ltpas: Okay. Would you like to share your voice for your choices?

Fatefan: Thank you! I see that your reasons are acceptable at least.

Etherious: Hmhmm! Because those two's characters are easy to write after all!

Silver Eyes: Since canon allows for multiple fights against an assortment of supernatural beings, why not?

Chaos: Right. Want to voice out your views of your chosen selections?

Manlybadasshero: And here's a badass battle against a dragon and a human with dragon blood (artificial)!

CCC: You can expect it soon.


	10. Chapter 9 - Invitation

**UPDATE:** Yet again more editing. I'll count this as v3.0 for now for current versions.  


* * *

"Sieg, do you know why I haven't grilled you for all the stunts you've done so far?"

...when I was greeted by Rider who had an expression often mimicked by Ruler and Saber of Red, I was admittedly... at a loss of words. No, well, I understood the reason why he was upset. It was because I had gone out of my way to do something that was obviously forbidden in places such as battlefield.

And what a battlefield have I participated in.

I did not hesitate, fear, or even have the slightest intention to think in challenging a warrior who, under retrospect, was a higher humanoid being normally associated with the term 'Servant' and 'Heroic Spirit'. Of course some exceptions that could be summoned as Servants were example, the entanglement of malice in the form of a child but I digressed.

"I'm... sorry...?" I tilted my head, unsure of the proper response as Rider who was carrying the wounded Jeanne wanted to shout but refrained at the last moment, opting to let out an exaggerated deep sigh instead.

"As much as I'd like to smack you upside-down and beat you down and teach you some lessons and scolding you for committing yet another suicidal act before praising your ability to survive despite confronting a Servant without changing into Siegfried-form... Sorry Sieg, but we've got a bigger problem." Rider gestured, his voice almost too fast to follow for ordinary humans.

Even when the girl who was taller and also sizes bigger than him stirred, the Rider-class Heroic Spirit seemed to be unperturbed. It must be the influence of his Monstrous Strength but he showed a terrifying display of balance. Once again, I could only praise how far humanity could become in front of insurmountable trials.

Then again, the World was incredibly hostile even before the Common Era arrived.

Regardless... "No, Rider... I believe you are right. I was... reckless again. I'm sorry."

"Right. What's next then?"

With a face split between worried and frustrated, Rider raised one profound question. Twice, even. In his arms was the unconscious, barely alive Jeanne d' Arc-this dimension's counterpart or should I say in doubts... a human who inherited her 'heroic spirit'. Also, I was in a state that warranted dire concerns.

"Y'know, it's almost a surprise you both didn't get to be stains on the road after all that. How about we go to someone who can help fix you up?" Rider suggested.

I nodded slowly after glancing between him, Jeanne, then my severed arm, "The only one that could do that is..."

Just as the name of the person flashed in my mind, something vibrated in my pants' pocket. I pulled out a smartphone, which had lots of scars as if it was cut by razor blade from several directions. How it was still active, I didn't know but regardless... someone's calling.

"Ah, it's Issei." I stated. "Just perfect. Is-"

 _'Heeeeeeellllpp! Sieg, you gotta help me quick!'_ A hysteric voice blared through the communication device.

Huh? I almost tilted my head but I promptly responded, "What's wrong, Issei? What happened?"

 _'My ass is going to be executed by Buchou! Sieg, you've got to help-nuoooooogh?!'_ Then the transmission was cut off from the other side.

I looked at the smartphone, then to Rider who had similar expression. We were perfectly clueless and had nothing to say about the earlier happenstance. Or rather, it was far too bizarre even though Rider's nonsense was already one tangled bomb that could explode at any given time.

One thing for sure: something was up while we were wrapped by our own problem.

"Wait, that sounds like some kinky stuff Roland always liked to have! Did I hear a butt spank coming?! Are Devils into that kind of fetish too!? Oh, wait! Hold up! He didn't tell anything about his location! Call him again, Sieg!" Rider barraged on and on and on.

...maybe after this all, I can have a time to sit down and relax. Now I want chamomile tea again...

* * *

"The heck is this?"

...my thought exactly, Rider. Currently, late at night in an empty park was the two groups of Devils huddled together. Among them there was no sign of the Gremory's Knight but I had no doubt the lingering prana over some parts of the environment were some hints to clarify.

"Ogwuooh! B-Buchou...! M-my ass is dyin-wait, that you Sie-geh?! What the hell happened to your arm?!" Issei shouted.

...as much as I'd like to answer, I wasn't sure it was the correct time since the Devils were in the middle of something. But like magic keywords, when Issei pointed it out all of the Devils' attentions were drawn on the newest arrivals, which were us.

"S-Sieg-kun...?! Your...!" Sona Sitri's stoic visage was almost blown away as she covered her mouth with one hand.

Most of them had horrified expressions. Even the usually less-than-expressive Toujou was pale and she had been, to be frank, the one with snow-white skin among her kin.

But again, there was nothing that I could say. After all, my priority right now was-

"Argento-san. Will you help me?" I asked with a tone that strongly suggested urgency.

Taken aback, she stuttered, "Y-yes?"

"Please help this girl." When I requested her, Rider stepped forward from behind me and showed the victim of a Servant's assault.

"Th-that's...!" Gremory gasped.

"Jeanne d'Arc...?! Just what happened to you all?!" Shinra exclaimed.

Rider and I exchanged a glance and we both sighed at the same time. With grimaces signifying that something utterly bad had happened, I felt a headache forming since I didn't know where to start.

"Bah, it was a freaking brawl. Or rather, this Exorcist here got involved and Sieg jumped in to the rescue..." Rider groaned. "We got beaten back after retaliating. Like seriously. It was _awful_."

Although a word isn't enough to describe it all. However, recognizing how sensitive that fact was, I would like to disclose it after she... this dimension's Jeanne were healed.

"Please help her first. There is no need to worry about us." I bowed my head, hoping that the Devils would accept my plea.

I admit it's ridiculous. The girl was an Exorcist, an agent of the Church. She was an archenemy to the Devils, someone who stood on the opposite side. Even so, the only one that possessed the ability to heal even grave wounds was only Asia Argento, the wielder of Sacred Gear Twilight Healing.

Rider knew nothing about Magecraft that could heal wounds, while mine is far too unique I can only apply it on myself. It was truly a shame that I still refused to learn anything about useful spells that could have prevented this situation.

"Please," I pleaded, "I will explain everything for sure but please... save her."

As a moment of silence endured, the answer to my wish was-

"I understand. Sieg-san, please put her down first." Argento replied as she stepped forward.

I straightened my back to stare after her baffling, smooth answer; but I looked at Rider and gave a quick nod. He then did what we were told to do, as once Jeanne was lying comfortably on the ground, supported by Rider, Argento knelt before her and activated her Sacred Gear.

When the warm green glow encompassed Jeanne, I sensed her prana stabilizing and recovering. Her wounds closed little by little, her complexion returned back to normal and her breaths calming down. Rider expressed an amazed hum but I... I couldn't describe how I am feeling right now.

At one side I was grateful, _relieved_ , whatever fuzzy emotion I believed as positive spreading within my chest, but at the other side, I was clueless on what to do. I didn't understand how or why could everything end up like this since... well, perhaps the lack of my vocabulary could summarize it?

However, to be honest, I didn't know what I should say regarding her...

"Alright, that's one thing cleared." Rider heaved and stood upright.

Ah, that's right. After all that, I guess it's about time for-

 _"Bam!"_ Rider exclaimed as he delivered a vicious, most powerful body blow I have ever received.

I flew across the park, bounced off the ground and crashed through a tree which naturally fell over due to the immense force put in that surprise attack.

"Eeeeeeeehh?!" Issei's shocked scream seemed to have carried similar feelings the others had.

I shook my head as the piles of dirt, leaves and broken branches fell around me. It was... new, to think Rider would attack me willingly but why?

"Rider... what was that about?" I asked as I sat up.

"You tell me that now?! Come on, I thought you had grown up over your reckless tendency! Why did you have to disappoint me in the worst time ever, you dumbass of a Master!" Rider screamed, clearly agitated as veins throbbed on his forehead.

...he's angry. As I thought, I did it horribly this time if even Rider raised a fist on me. It hurt to admit that the sickening red world I was drunk in was actually, in some ways, a rather exhilarating series of events. Perhaps it was because as a Dragon and as a Transcendent Kind, being confined in human vessel put a large stress in a corner of my mind.

The amount of joy I found in ridding off self-control further deepened the ill feelings gnawing on my heart as it became harder to meet Rider's gaze.

"Look here, you jerk!" And I was once again knocked down to the ground.

Rider pinned me to the ground by lying on my abdomen, grabbed my face by the cheeks and forced me to face him head-on. I almost thought my neck would be broken due to the enormity of strength and velocity Rider exerted to do this but I was remotely human at all. This much damages didn't mean much compared to be struck repeatedly when my body was weaker than an infant.

I even lost my life but anyway - my blood red-colored eyes met Rider's purple-colored eyes, mine was blank and reflected in his and...

I felt warm liquid dripping down on my nose, sliding off my cheek and chin. _That_ was when I realized the Paladin had _shed tears._

"You almost died...! Again! How can you be so foolish despite being older than me?!" Rider shouted from the top of his lungs, tears rolling down from the edges of his brilliant eyes.

It struck me harder than anything. Those tears. That distorted expression, grievous and sorrowful. There was no longer any trace of innocent cheerfulness I always saw in him. There was no smile that often adored the Paladin no matter where he went to.

It hurt... just to recall those tears.

And it pained my heart even more when I felt his hands trembling before gripping on my shirts, his body slumping down as his head rested next to mine. His small frame seemed a lot smaller than in the past as he trembled uncontrollably, shedding tears for someone. Someone who was none other than me.

"...Rider..." I called out, my voice was heavy and feeble for reasons I did not know of.

It hurt. It was hard to breathe. It hurt. My heart pounding against my ribcage as if it was about to burst open. It hurts. Why? Why is my cheeks heating up, and my eyes hot as if they were melting?

But when I raised my arm to comfort my dearest friend, I recognized that very arm was trembling. Just like when I survived the battle against Mordred. Was it fear, I asked yet when I looked at Rider, the earlier memories I had back in our home world resurfaced.

Mistake. Scolding. Shame. Unable to meet the gaze of another as if...

"...I see... To think that I had forgotten how to feel 'guilty'..." I mumbled bitterly, casting my gaze down. "...it hurts. Rider."

"Shut up! You deserved it, idiot! Sieg you big idiot! Idiot! _Idiot...!_ " Rider shouted back.

I grimaced but I knew there was no malice in his words. I understood why he preached on me. I too recognized the insults as something I had the rights to receive since I was at fault.

Yes. I've made another mistake. I flew in a blind rage and it led me to lose my arm. It had nothing to do with fate or whatsoever. It was simply something I've brought down upon myself, as had it been my left arm that was cutoff, my contract with Rider would have dissolved straight away due to the loss of Command Spells. Fortune favored me for now, but in the near future...

Rider might not be able to help. Issei and the others might not be around. Nothing might help me at all no matter what I do. Thus...

"...ah. I understand, Rider." I whispered, closing my eyes as a resigned smile crossed my face.

For now... it's fine. It's alright to stay like this...

 _"As much as I'd like to give you two some privacy... This is not the appropriate place or time for it, Sieg-kun."_

And there came a blunt reprimanding. I shuddered involuntarily but I craned my head to see a certain Student Council President standing nearby, cold glare fixated on Rider while her cheeks seemed to be tinted red for unknown reasons.

"...Sitri-san...?" I tilted my head in an effort to take away her attentions.

I was quite disturbed by her glare after all. It was one thing for her to be upset for our previous fall out but I wouldn't want her to know Rider's true identity, or blaming him for the mistakes I have committed.

"You don't look well, Sieg-kun. What exactly happened?" The Devil pointed out. "And your arm..."

"Hm...? Ah, this?" I looked at the stump where my forearm was lost in my blind rage. "It is fine. I can regenerate it anyway."

"Regenerate?" Sitri parroted dumbly.

I nodded, sitting up and patting Rider's back twice. He pulled back his upper body with confusion filling in his purple-colored eyes.

"Rider, can you please move aside? I'd like to treat my wounds." I told him.

"What? You can do that now?" He blinked twice.

I nodded deeply and he groaned before hopping off me. He patted his cloak and retreated to a distance I deemed as safe. Sitri too seemed to have noticed as she stood at the back together with her Peerage.

I breathed in, " _Logic path/open_ "

A hammer went down within my mind, the Magic Core inside of me activating instead of my Magic Circuits. While the ods flowed to every section of my body and gathered on the wounds, I isolated my focus over those areas before constructing the spell.

 _Confirming structures of the cells. Searching comparisons within memories. Altering damaged units. Copying materials. Accelerating the aging process.._.

"Complete." I uttered as silver glow emanated from my wounds.

The lighter ones were restored in seconds, moderate and large ones took several minutes, but the stumped arm took all of my concentration as I was regenerating an arm rather than altering it. But considering this wasn't the first time I lost a limb or an internal organ, experience guided me through the dangerous process.

As the light covered the entire area of the stump, it stretched out to form a new forearm. Within it were the complex structures of cells, blood cells, nerves, bones, muscle tissues, flesh and skin materialized in an orderly fashion. When the spell was done, the light dissolved into dust of light which was the excess of magical energy exposed to the world.

"It is done." I stated as I felt the arm by opening the hand and clenching it.

I also flexed the elbow joint to measure my efforts this time. It seemed it was more precise than the last time-

"Wow! So you can regenerate this time huh? It must have took a lot of your prana!" Rider suddenly appeared next to me before grabbing my right arm with a hum.

"Careful there, Rider. It's still relatively new." I told him and he nodded twice during his measurement.

But to tell the truth, he was right about me using large amount of prana. Unlike humans, Phantasmal Beasts such as I had no limitations in utilizing our bodies, especially for a possessor of first grade Magic Circuits in addition of a Dragon's Magic Core. I could freely alter this body without terrible repercussions but because of that, the amount of prana required to do it drastically increased if I wanted quicker recovery.

Of course, the standard I used was one for Transcendent Kind. The amount of prana I generated was _astronomical_ if compared to other species, especially Modern Magi.

"Hmhmm... This looks tougher than before." Rider concluded. "Then again, it was easily blasted away by that black flaming sword. Oh wait, you've got your constitution so even if it was left alone, it would grow back to normal. Give and take... a week maybe?"

"I don't think we have the leisure to stay idle, Rider." I warned him.

The Servant shrugged. "Doesn't mean much if you get wounded again!"

Hmh... I couldn't disagree in that front. Even with my status as a Transcendent Kind, I would still die if my head or heart was destroyed. I'd also die if my Magic Core was damaged so no matter how strong my immortality is, I wasn't indestructible or invincible at all.

"Still, to lop off my arm with so much ease... just who was that knight?" I exasperated, only to hear coughs.

The sound was familiar enough to make me turn around posthaste.

"Sieg-kun... I did not know you could regenerate yourself." Sitri _smiled._ "And your timing is too precise, as if something happened while some unruly children were trying to handle this by themselves. It can't be that you are involved as well... Right?"

...Uh... I searched among the Student Council who could help but everyone simply shook their heads, even Genshirou that said he'd do anything to assist in the case. But even when I took a glance over the Gremory...

"I'm sorry. You're on your own here, Sieg-kun. Right, Ise?" The Heiress smirked.

"E-err...! ...yes..." Issei hung his head, defeated by the sharp stares from his group.

...

"Rider, what exactly happened?" For the first time in my life, I threw the topic to someone else.

Rider gasped. " _Eh!?_ Why me!?"

"No, well... I was barely sane at that time so..." I bowed my head. "I leave the rest to you."

"Why!?"

* * *

"So yeah, that's how it is." Rider finished his so-called 'Grand Retelling'.

I couldn't help but feeling cramped and having the urge to plant a hand on my face now. It was due to Rider going in a tirade the moment I pushed him as a scapegoat. Obviously, the Reincarnated Devils were speechless with some exceptions sending sympathetic gazes on me but two High-class Devils were highly disturbed.

Why? Because there were keywords that I assumed they did not know of. For example, the word 'Magecraft' or 'Noble Phantasm'. It was quite honestly worrying as Sitri and Gremory raised an eyebrow several times during the explanation.

Thankfully, Rider finished without trying to elaborate on the finer details. But _still..._

"You know, I'm no longer sure if we were lucky to have met that bastard Freed and Valper-guy or getting steamrolled by this goth girl in armors." Issei voice out his opinions which were approved by both Toujou and Genshirou, his original partners-in-crime. "Heck, blazing sword that can tear down blocks of houses _with one swing?_ Even regular holy swords and Excalibur fragments are already scary enough!"

Well, for Devils, of course holy swords would be the bane of their existences. Although even for ordinary Servants, that girl was a notch above the rest to the point of reminding me how powerful Saber of Red was. Could they be related, I wonder...?

"That may be the case so unless someone has a way to fight her, please refrain from facing her." I warned everyone. "Her sword might not be a common magical sword if it could exercise such destructiveness."

They all nodded readily. It's good to hear that they understood the danger of fighting a Servant. Still I saw Sitri deep in thought while Gremory was visibly anxious.

"Hm... let me guess, you two correlated that swordswoman with this Balba-guy for the Excalibit thievery?" Rider pointed out.

"Excali..." Gremory nearly exasperated but promptly took a breath in and crossed her arms under her bosom. "Well, yes. She attacked an Exorcist who carried an Excalibur fragment after all. There is no way she is not when the Exorcist's mission is to be done secretly and without any help. But I never knew there's someone so powerful in the Fallen Angels Faction."

"Indeed," Sitri readjusted the frame of her glasses, "It is already fearsome enough she maimed a top Exorcist without breaking a sweat, she also wounded Sieg-kun here who boasted powerful resistance against magic. There should've been _at least_ a few rumors floating around in regards to her existence."

Well, regarding that...

"Ah, that's cuz Sieg's opponent was a bona fide _Servant_ _just like me_. Hell, she's definitely Saber with that absurd swordsmanship."

...

"...what?" Shinra let out a sound, the echo of her voice resounding in the park several times.

Everyone had similar expression as well but soon enough I and Rider became the center of attentions. Particularly from one Sona Sitri who fixated a terrifyingly cold glare on me...

"...Rider." I called out as I finally put a hand to cover half of my face.

"Eh? Err... Tee-he?" He stuck out a tongue with a face showing as if he had pulled an accidental prank.

As expected of Rider... There's just no possible way to keep him tight-lipped.

And so, with unfounded exhaustion bearing down my shoulders, I told him, "Leave this to me so please check on... 'Jeanne'."

"Roger that!" The Servant scurried away, his cloak fluttering due to him skipping off the ground.

Craning my head, I regulated my breathing interval before turning to face the Devils. Gremory was grinning slyly, the two males still in a daze, but what I found most terrifying was the chilly air stabbing the back of my neck and a corner of my mind.

I weakly smiled as I was faced with a cold, emotionless, merciless and cruel also showcasing the promise of hellish pain... all coming from a petite female Devil whose name was Sona Sitri.

"Please do not jump to a wrong conclusion. There is a difficult circumstance behind this all." I raised an excuse.

Admittedly, it was the lamest one I could ever think of.

" _Obviously,_ " Sitri snorted, "Will you enlighten us then, Sieg-kun? I am quite sure we have plenty of time to talk after _this entire case_ is done."

Ah... I've dug my own grave... Why does it feel as if I'm being trapped by that Assyrian Queen again...?

* * *

"Or so you thought. Right, Sieg?" One Rider smirked mischievously while walking several paces faster than I. "You should thank me for pushing the schedule back by mentioning Jeanne!"

Through the dark streets, with only the stars, the moon and lampposts as guidance, we walked back towards the mansion through a different route. With the nature of Holy Grail War, it was obvious that battles could not be conducted in a highly-populated area with extremely high risks on being exposed to the common people. As much as I knew, this rule still existed even in a world without collective wills around.

But it still didn't make me pleased for one bit to use others as insurance.

"As you said, Rider." Deciding to cast away my foul mood away, I answered without thinking further.

The Servant snickered but did not say anything more. However, I did notice his gaze lingering on the last person other than the two of us. And so I cast my gaze down.

Carried in my arms was her. An agent of the Church, an Exorcist tasked to retrieve if not destroy the stolen Excalibur fragments. _This world's_ Jeanne d' Arc.

"She's seriously her spitting image." Rider noted.

"Ah," I nodded simply, "But she is not 'her'."

And it made me to have a mixed feelings about it. She... this person was slightly older than her. Perhaps two or three years older than the Maid of Orleans. While her bearing, how she carried herself and her origin clearly displayed the difference between them, her uncanny resemblances sometimes set me off as if 'she' was here. As if 'she' had arrived to fulfill the promise between us.

It hurt me as much as it brought joys for me...

"...Sieg, you sure it's a good idea to bring her with us? She _can_ be involved with our problems." Rider warned with knitted eyebrows.

Of course I understood his point. If the worse comes to pass, she'd be the 'weakness' of our side. Most Magi wouldn't mind sacrificing an entire city population if it could bring them closer to the Root, and clearly the Holy Grail was a decent alternative to fulfill their 'longtime wish'. By taking her alongside us when she was confronted by enemy Servant, who also _lived_ through it

But above taking care of the 'natural enemy' of my friends, I had another reason. One more thing I must do.

Even though it wasn't something as important as winning a bloody Battle Royal. Even though there were too much risks that could kill us many times over...

"I just want to know, Rider. I... I want to confirm it, with my own eyes." I answered determinedly. "I want to know if she... this girl is truly 'her', or not."

Rider's facial softened when he heard it. He shook his head but did not voice out any complaint. He simply turned around, saying 'then I'll guard you two till your business is finished!' cheerfully. _Just like always._

For that sign of acknowledgment, I gave a grateful nod. Both for his acceptance, as well as for his kindness. No matter how much I wanted to repay him, it was always Rider who stood by my side, helping me to stand on my own two feet without asking for compensation. And the event that occurred this night simply emphasized it all.

"You are truly one fine example of a Hero, Astolfo."

* * *

It was a nightmare.

 _Jeanne could remember how easily she was defeated. How every swing was countered with terrifying grace. How she was being overpowered after each strike was delivered. How at the end of the exchange that was far too short to even be called as a duel finished with her entire body carved with slash wounds._

 _As if she was an ant toyed by the fierce winds. As if she was a child whose toy taken by an adult. The impression she gained could never be more wrong than such that she had no choice but to accept how weak and powerless she was. She had to. She must recognize how vast the difference between her and the Black Knight._

Yet the nightmare did not end.

 _With one powerful swing that went too fast even for her trained eyes to follow, a wave of black flame tossed her alongside wrecked buildings. The flame not aimed to kill her and yet the sheer destructiveness that would dwarf even Excalibur Destruction continued on to tear apart the fake scenery forged from some unknown magic._

 _When she got up, all Jeanne saw was nothing short than a barren wasteland._

 _"Now, hand over that sword." She heard that cold and emotionless voice._

 _Turning around, the Exorcist choked as the black sword the knight held was coated with black and red blazes, the entire weapon consumed by the tainted flames but oddly not burning the knight. Nay, the flames seemed as if they recognized her so as not to hurt her in such a way that the impossible spectacle could be seen._

 _But such thing was not possible. Even Demonic Swords could not be so tame that they would not cost a price for being wielded even once. Her longtime friend had taught her the variation of magical swords from holy to demonic, and she was certain none of the latter would choose to not harm their possessors as a compensation. Unless..._

 _"That's... It can't be! A 'true' holy sword!?" Jeanne shouted in disbelief._

 _But in the next second, pain assaulted her entire body and her sight was filled with a starless sky. When she fell, her body burned in a way that she could not describe. It was painful beyond comparison, as if she was seared by heated razor which almost reached its melting point. Even though her holy shroud was supposed to protect her, the cloth was torn in numerous sections that it might as well be a worthless bloodied rag._

 _"Once again I ask of you: surrender that fragment and you may be able to keep your life." Saber Alter's command rang out._

 _The voice showed no sign of exhaustion, as if stating only facts and facts alone. It both infuriated Jeanne as much as it terrified her. Because the composure the Black Knight had showed she regarded her as someone below her level._

 _"Blade Blacksmith!" She yelled out and swords sprouted from around her._

 _She was not only an inheritor of a hero's spirit. Jeanne had the gift of a Sacred Gear where she could summon countless swords from nothingness. While it was similar to the ability of Gremory's Knight, hers was different in how she could only materialize holy swords alone. The downside would be her mental and physical energy drained to create more and it wasn't like she had the ability to craft legendary swords._

 _It was also because she did not like to use it in an underhanded way. Blade Blacksmith possessed the advantage to be a trump card if activated correctly. If the enemy was in a stationary state on the ground, impaling them with hundreds of swords from below their feet was never outside her capability._

Even so, it's more than enough!

 _"Useless!" Saber Alter slashed down and a dozen of holy swords shattered._

 _Iron fragments floated everywhere. In the midst of it, Jeanne rushed in with her rapier piercing the winds and aiming for Saber's side._

 _But a wave of black flame cut it apart way before it could even reach the intended target. Jeanne's eyes widened as the whipping flame already closed in from the edge of her peripheral vision so she was forced to slam her foot to the ground before twisting her body by sheer force and reflex, barely avoiding certain death._

 _"Ah, so that's it." Saber Alter mused. "So that is the power of Blessing. The power to heal... is it? No wonder you could still move nimbly."_

 _Jeanne grimaced after the black flame razed down yet another row of houses. One, several, a dozen and so. In such a short time, the black flame carved multitude amount of collateral damages. It then receded before once again whipping towards the fallen Jeanne, mowing down the launched holy swords she manifested while she escaped from it._

 _And yet, the flame reached her. It did not cut through her but it sunk into her side. She screamed at the unimaginable burning pain she received but she did not lose her consciousness. She fell down, sliding against rough terrain filled with rubble and sharp pebbles and yet she tried to stand up-_

 _"Agh!?" At once her knee gave up due to the immense strain, followed by creaking of the bone of her leg._

 _The wounds she received had exceeded her tolerance. Her body was falling apart even though her mind was strangely clear and able to go on._

 _It was only one second. It was just a moment but her faltering was her undoing. Her fearful mind alerted her. Her shivering body told her to move aside. And yet only her eyes darted upward to see a tower of black flame falling down on her._

 _"No matter what tricks you have, they are never enough to defeat me."_

 _Reflexively the Exorcist took out her last remaining sword, the Excalibur Blessing. The reforged holy sword became her sole shield against imminent messenger of death._

 _But in the last moment, when the two weapons clashed - her sword glowed with ethereal light before flying away. As if it was deflected. As if it escaped her grasp._

As if it had rejected her.

 _"What-"_

 _Then the tainted judgment poured down upon her._

* * *

I heard a scream tearing through the morning air. Recognizing the voice and intonation, I rushed back into the mansion, abandoning my task of showering the flowers in the garden. In the way, I saw Rider coming out from his room, yawning with half-lidded eyes that seemed dull as if his mind was somewhere else.

"What was that, Sieg...?" He asked.

I ran past him with simple words given out.

"Rider, please brew tea and cook a light meal. Preferably something a little sweet."

He nodded slowly before walking like a wraith in the opposite direction. Ignoring his unreliable impression for not being a morning person, Rider had improved his skills in doing house chores so I knew I could count on him. Which is why...

I went straight to an empty room, knocked twice and then opened the door after no response was given out. What I saw there was...

Dozens of flying swords that dissipated upon reaching the space around me. Several of them went straight to stab the walls and furniture but considering how they vanished against my Magic Resistance, they must be some magical devices. Mystic Codes...?

"Wha-" I heard that stunned voice and I shifted my eyes to meet a pair of amethyst gems.

There she was, half crouching on the bed with a stance and a rapier drawn. Her braided golden hair was untied so it simply looked like a magnificent veil wrapping her body. Able to stand and launch an attack like that meant she was already healthy enough but I didn't miss the beads of sweat trailing down her skin, nor did I miss her pale complexion.

"Are you alright?" I asked despite ignoring the failed surprise attack. "What happened?"

The Exorcist stuttered but she regained her bearing. Slightly shifting her stance, she narrowed her eyes and asked back.

"You... are... Why are you here? What's going on? Where am I? What happened to me?"

...judging from her intonation, she was on the verge of panicking. There was also a sign of fear, worries and anxiety. As if she wanted to forget traumatic memories, as if she was hoping she had woken up from nightmares. That might be the most plausible hypothesis for what had happened two nights before.

One would no doubt dream of a nightmare after fighting against a Servant, especially if you're a normal human.

Knowing the immeasurable difference of power, skills, agility, also wits between them would simply crush one's spirit into smithereens, erasing any semblance of hope to even survive.

"You are in my mansion. We took you in because we think you'd not want to wake up in one of the Devils' abode." I answered her simply. "After treating your injuries, that is."

"Injuries... I..." The Exorcist raised a hand to stare on an opened palm.

It was then, as if strings were cut from controlling her, the young Exorcist fell slumped down on the bed, the rapier she held dissolving into light particles. Her expression was blank as if she could not comprehend anything.

"You did well to survive out there, Jeanne." I said as I approached her from the bedside and stroked her head.

The inheritor of the Maid of Orleans' spirit stiffened visibly. She hiccuped, and did something I didn't expect.

"Uu...!" Grasping my shirts, she pushed her head to lean on me, burying her face from my view.

All I saw was the golden strands trembling, her hands shivering as moments passed by - and the Exorcist broke down in tears.

I heard her cries. I heard her despaired voice. I recognized the tears that fell upon the bed sheet. Her hair glistened by the sunlight peeking through the windows and curtains, and yet all I saw was nothing beautiful. Nothing except a human, a young woman who had scraped against ruthless death, surviving only by a shred of luck which almost seemed like a miraculous coincidence.

Had I not been around, would she survive? Had I ignored the bounded field, would the Exorcist lived through the losing battle she was forced to fight in? Against an impossibly powerful higher being renowned as one-man army for each...

 _Could she live through it?_

"...it's fine." I whispered, touching the girl's shoulders before wrapping her head in a loose embrace. "It's fine. Everything is okay now. It's fine, Jeanne."

I might have lost everything, even my humanity at the end of the Great Grail War. I might have survived the cruelest war where any mean was used to end it. Even so...

Even with that all, the instinctual fear against death was the nature of all living beings.

"That's why... It's fine. You did well. It's alright now, Jeanne."

I understood that this fear could not be erased. It must not be erased, even if it resulted as a traumatic experience for this human. Rider had taught me that this fear, the madness that came for surviving a war was immense enough to break one's sanity. I was even told by him how frightening and humiliating the experience was.

To cry for being helpless. To be on the verge of going insane. Trembling for brushing against death. Vomiting due to resurfacing memories wrenching both the body and mind.

"You're going to be fine. That's why... Let it all out. There's nothing wrong with that."

And yet, as I comforted her, I knew the answer to my doubts. It both pained me as much as it brought me bliss to hold her. But she is not 'her'. I could recognize it clearly even if I didn't want to. I could understand it no matter how much I wished to deny it.

 _So close, and yet so far._

* * *

Much, much later, Rider barged in with a tray of food. He was grinning from ear-to-ear while wearing an apron over his casual outfits.

"Ohohoo...! Aren't you two getting lovey-dovey right now?"

Jeanne blinked before realizing her... Or rather, our state right now.

I was sitting on the bedside, basked by the warm sunlight. Leaning on my shoulder was Jeanne d' Arc who had gained a calmer mind after opening her emotional dam. But then again, considering my disheveled clothes and Jeanne's... Nightgown.

"E-eeeekk!? Wh-what am I wearing!?" Jeanne shrieked and then scurried away from my side.

"Ah," I scratched my cheek and looked away for having aware where I was looking, "That is... Rider's. I asked him to lend one for you."

 _What,_ she voiced out. And then she cast a reproachful gaze on Rider who impishly puffed his chest upfront.

"You got any problem with that? Anything cute is always cute!"

...Uh... I don't think that is the standard qualification in picking clothes. Isn't it supposed to be whether or not it's decent first?

"Anyway, both of you haven't eaten anything right? Let's eat breakfast first!"

Haa... Though it's not like eating is necessary for me. Still...

"I guess so. Why don't you as well, Jeanne?"

"Uh... I... I understand..."

And so it was decided. Rider gave us a bowl of porridge and he prepared a glass of water. I could see how simple the meal is but considering his knowledge and culture back in his time, I wasn't surprised. Meanwhile, Jeanne seemed to take it quite easily, perhaps because of her line of occupation.

The two quite honestly got along well. Rider struck up a random-yet-sensible topic, Jeanne answering simply and Rider gave out his own opinions before raising another topic. Of course, the moment Rider announced he was a follower of the same faith, Jeanne's tension vanished that she could finally be at ease.

In such a way, the scene before me was like a dream coming true-

"That's right! Excalibur! What happened to it?!" Jeanne nearly jumped out from the bed.

But... Well. There was a problem.

"Oh, that thing you had? This guy over here broke it during his rampage." Rider pointed out with his thumb.

"What!?" Jeanne whipped a disbelieved stare on me.

"Uh... Ah, that's... I'm sorry. I didn't exactly remember how but yes. I broke it in two." I bowed down my head.

Nudging to Rider, he pulled out a broken blade which gave no luster at all even though it was illuminated by sunlight. There was no sign of prana nor is there any trace of holy element emitted by the blade. In such a sorry state, it could be said that it no longer qualified as the Last Phantasm or even a holy sword.

"H-how...!?" Jeanne covered her mouth with her hands, emphasizing her shock by magnitudes.

"Well, it's quite obvious this thing here isn't Excalibur if it can be broken into seven shards anyway." Rider commented. "Heck, I've seen Clarent before so I think it's safe to say this ain't the strongest holy sword forged by the wills of mankind."

"What are you saying?! That...! That is Excalibur! The sacred sword wielded by King Arthur, and it was created by the church to pave the way for its glory!" Jeanne yelled.

...that's... even if you said that... I exchanged looks with Rider momentarily.

He closed an eye. "Maybe history got it a little confused? It's not like there's someone alive who saw Excalibur broken by their own eyes."

Excepting That Person, that is. But even she never fussed about it so I doubt she could stain the Last Phantasm even at the brink of death. It somewhat confused us too ever since we first heard it but this Excalibur was the first we had ever seen. Maybe there were something we had missed or maybe it was just because a difference in the myth of this dimension.

At any rate, Rider simply hummed in thoughts with arms flexed behind his head.

"Well, whatever! You already calmed down now so let's have a heart-to-heart talk as fellow believers!" He exclaimed and jumped onto the bed.

"Huh? Wh-what? A fellow believer...?" Jeanne blinked.

Smiling a little at his antics, I took a seat in a chair near the study, observing the two's interactions. Surprisingly, Rider didn't give out anything too important and instead probed for information about the Church. I wonder why? Is he trying to check on the modern era's religions, especially one of his own?

"Still, fighting against one of the head honchos of the Fallen Angels with a fragmented holy sword is utterly suicidal. Even I never saw one." Rider commented. "No wait, the old man said Durandal was given by an angel so maybe I did saw one."

"Huh...?"

Ah, he's getting sidetracked... I better prevent the same thing from happening again.

"Rider, can you let her off the hook now? Even with her wounds healed, I don't think Jeanne is well enough to entertain you all day long." I requested.

"Huh? Eh, p-please wait! I'm fine already and I have...!"

Rider waved a hand, "Sure! Don't you worry, Jeanne! I'll be your proxy so leave it to this Astolfo!"

And then the Servant left the room. The air was for some reasons heavy and something inside me told me to do something. Even so, knowing this as a common occurrence, I turned to face the speechless Jeanne.

"It's alright. Rider had the fortune to be named as such." I threw up an excuse, though most of it was because I believed that yes, he truly was fortunate to be gifted with that name.

If I could, I'd like to give my gratitude to his parents as well. Alas, such was nothing but a vain wish.

"Err... N-no, it's fine. It's just... Astolfo is a male name right...?" Jeanne fiddled and entwined her fingers.

Hm? I tilted my head due to the unknown meaning behind that question.

"Yes? Is something wrong with it?"

"...no, it's nothing."

I nodded. If there was nothing, then I ought to let it be. I have no right to intrude someone's privacy just because of my curiosity. There was comfortable silence between us.

Hmm... I wonder what I should do? While I could remember many things regarding the Great Grail War, trivial matters such as my second outing to the town of Trifas were nothing more than blurry hazes. I could recall it all but it was like watching a film without sounds or voices.

Because of that, I couldn't-

"Hmm?" When I laid a hand on the surface of the study desk, I noticed something distinctly different. From the textures and the shape, this was...

Wait. How is this possible?

"...Errm... What's wrong?" Jeanne asked.

"No..." I shook my head as my hand inconspicuously moved and slipped into my waistcoat's pocket. "It's nothing. I just remembered I have urgent business to attend to."

I excused myself quickly, taking quick strides toward the door. I grabbed the doorknob and opened the door-

"Please wait! I... Have a question." Jeanne suddenly said.

Halting, I looked up at her, meeting her amethyst-colored gaze head-on. She didn't flinch but she was... She looked uncertain. Why?

"Erm... Why, did you save me?" She then raised her question.

...huh?

"...is it wrong to help someone in trouble?" I asked back, feeling very confused now.

"No, it's not... It's just... I am a stranger to both of you right?" She raised a point. "While admirable, your action might have killed you. Even so, you chose to save me. Why is that? What propelled you to rescue someone who you barely know of?"

...ah. That is... A difficult question indeed. And she was correct in that matter.

I could have been killed that night. I was challenging death the moment I laid my eyes on the jet black Servant. I knew that I could lose my life yet again but for some reasons... I did not regret it.

Even though risking my life when there was nothing to gain was a form of stupidity. It was a selfless action that valued not of my own life but another. It was against the nature of a living being since survival was always its first priority. But... Even so.

When I looked at her wounded figure. When I saw red blood pooling beneath her dying body. The moment I saw her image overlapped with someone who I had vowed an oath with...

"You look like someone I knew." I answered.

"Just because of that?" Jeanne blinked. "Why? Do we look so similar? Or is it because..."

Because... What, I wonder. I looked up at the ceiling, trying to come up with an answer that might convince both myself and her. Something logical that could easily solve this mind boggling question. Yet all I received after thinking was only one conclusion:

"Because I don't want to lose you, just like how I lost her, perhaps." I once again answered, this time smiling ruefully.

Yes, maybe that is the reason why. I saw her dying at the end of that War. I saw Ruler activating her last Noble Phantasm for the sake of resetting the Holy Grail... No, to reset the Great Grail War. In that hanging garden, I witnessed her resolve, feeling her determination and understood her desire.

For the future, she said. For everyone, she exclaimed. For the Faith she believed in, she shouted. And for her loved ones, she announced.

Such was her resolve. Such things were what fueling her action. Those were her true desires. So incredibly beautiful and pure, yet so foolish and naive.

"...Maybe... Maybe I am regretting it. That I let her go. That I didn't stop her from sacrificing herself, even if it was all for the greater goods we fought for." I heaved. "I don't really understand it either, but at that time... That night. At that very moment, _I simply didn't want to lose you._ "

The Exorcist was quiet. She didn't allow me to see her expression as she hung down her head but I could hear feeble voice reaching my ears.

"I... see... Thank you, for answering. I'm sorry for your loss." Jeanne said.

I shook my head. "What has passed cannot be reclaimed. Just rest well for now. You will need it should you still wish to accomplish your mission."

And so I bid farewell to her. Releasing the breath I was holding quietly, I pulled the doorknob and strode out of the room.

This time, the door was closed for sure.

* * *

"Did I make you wait, Rider?"

Outside the mansion, I entered the pavement shone by the sun. Rider was already there, leaning his back against a tree before hopping into the stony path.

"Nah, I'm good! So we're going to search for the rest of the trio plus a wandering knight?" He remarked.

I nodded, "Since the Gremory and Sitri are busy with school during the day, it is our privilege to do so."

He chuckled before we entered the street. Side-by-side, we already had the general direction to where we are supposed to head to.

"Although, it might be better to set that aside for now." I told my Servant.

Rider raised an eyebrow and showed pursed lips, looking very confused this time. He was clueless to the degree that it made me believing no one would want to taint such innocence. Ignorance is bliss for certain people, especially for a maiden who knew nothing of the world's cruelty though Rider is certainly not a maiden.

Even so, this is this and that is that. Yes, I think this phrase worked well in this situation.

"Rider, here." I presented him the object I had found in Jeanne's room.

He blinked and accepted it. "What's this...? A letter? Oh! Could it be-"

"No, I do not know this 'love letter' you once talked about, but please do read it." I cut him off before causing yet another scene.

The Servant's shoulders sank dramatically but he obeyed my words. Not even a moment passed by and his eyes narrowed, his gaze sharpening without a trace of humor.

"Huh. How come I didn't notice _this thing?_ " He asked as he flipped the envelope, probably checking for any sign of runic spell that could have been inserted in it as a trap.

"I too just noticed when I moved my hand on the desk." I answered readily. "Perhaps it was hidden when we were still out of the mansion but..."

"If that Servant did deliver us a message, she must have not known what a smartphone is." Rider idly commented while raising the envelope above him.

He nodded as if he had confirmed something, and handed me the sealed letter.

"Yep. Just a letter. Well, mundane things are obviously out of our detection, Master."

"I see... Kokabiel really knew how to read my movements then."

"Oh come on! A freaking ancient being like him is obviously older than ours combined together!"

Yes, yes, but discrepancies always existed when it came to mythologies and folktales. After all, the Old Testament is newer than Verg Avesta.

"So... what's the content?" Rider asked. "It's seriously not that crazy knight's confession or date invitation right?"

Well... if anything, having additional ally is better so if such thing were to happen, I'd gladly consider the option of negotiating with her. Then again, she _is_ stronger than Rider.

"Muh. Somehow, I feel _very_ insulted...!" Rider flailed his arms up in the air.

I tilted my head in confusion. Well, in any case, the letter is...

...

"Huh?" I let out a sound.

"Hmhmm? What is it? What is it?!" Rider skipped forward and leaned next to me.

I lowered my arms so that he can read it. We stared at the piece of paper - the letter in my hands for a while and...

"Huh. So it really _is_ an invitation." Rider put a hand on his chin.

...I'd have liked you to be more serious but...

"I guess this is just the truth. But still..."

"A tea-party invitation... Ergh. I never thought I'd be invited to get along and drinking tea with a Fallen Angel."

Very true. Even I never once had a peaceful talk with my kind in the Reverse Side of the World. This is certainly the first time for me...

"So? What should we do?" Rider asked.

"Well, it's quite obvious he knows something but the place is in the commerce district. I don't think we have to worry about it being a trap." I said as I folded the letters and returned it into the envelope.

"Come on, Master...! You need more awareness! He's a higher being older than me! And I'm a Heroic Spirit who followed the teachings his Faction betrayed for!" He tugged my sleeve.

True enough. It certainly made everything seemed more dire. I even wondered if the Black Knight would participate as well. I just hope that his reason to slip this card in Jeanne's room was only for a talk.

If not, then he might be more dangerous than what I thought for having eluded both a Dragon and a Servant's detection.

* * *

 **-Author's Rambling (Once Again Long so No ToH or Tiger Dojo)-**

 _"Aww man, I shot Marvin in the face..."  
_

No, the line above has no real meaning. I just watched a video in youtube that made me to question my sanity.

Anyhow, we're entering the ninth episode with some events accelerated than canon did. I apologize for the delay but I had to rehash half of the chapter to ensure I didn't make a terrible expository chapter. Exposition can be _too_ annoying and there's no point if the elements in it aren't used. Or rather, a decent story _demanded_ every element to be used, not as mere decoration or waste of space. Oh wait, in this case, it's text.

After that... is the Servant Selection. I'll be honest, I don't think I want to use Arjuna even if he wins the vote. From the point of view of an Author, I can objectively state that his existence can destroy the story. After dissecting his personality, finding out his motivation, questioning the real reasons behind his antagonism against Karna, matching an opponent of _who_ can pose a challenge that _may_ be able to overpower him, fitting him in every Arc of DxD, etc...

End result: Other than a select few (and Gods), there's nothing that can stop him. Also, he's definitely able to clear canon in a breeze and unless I make Those Big Guys (read: Gods) active combatants, which will ABSOLUTELY destroy the plotline I'm following. I'm not trying to speak ill but I recognized how different Hindu Mythology from other myths simply because of what it is capable of. As such...

 **Archer Position is Voided Out For Now.  
**

* * *

 **RAC!**

King0fP0wers: Really think so too. But Sieg needs to be more assertive if he doesn't want Rider screwing things up.

Snorlax-kun: Most of your guesses are amazingly correct. Looks like I have to put more twists in the plot then. For the Servants' jobs, Nobunaga will (probably) be a NEET considering she enjoys modern advancement, Arjuna doing charity works perhaps, and Shuten Douji gambling. The last one is quite easy since Onis are famous for their tendencies to bet things away with ridiculous seriousness.

Thunder Dragon: Thank you. It kind of helps me very much since ZnT is quite... well, it's leaning too much to the harem and politic to be honest. The inner working of the world is famous to be slipped quietly unlike in Anime and we have the issue of the Author's passing which turned the Anime ending quite abruptly. For Request Number 1, that can be done. Admittedly, Dragons are quite soft on their species in that they don't outright provoke each other unless you've got a bone to pick at like the Two Heavenly Dragons. This might be the reason why Evil Dragons are known as they are considering they don't care of casualties in their sides.

Next for Mordred's presence... That is quite well-thought of you. I can agree in that front, really. I'll hold it under consideration then.

Your power idea is... plausible. Though reading the last line made quite an awkward moment. Till the end of the night... huh...? *mind wanders away*

Master of Dragons God: Thank you.

Kirin: Right. Seeing someone who looks like Ruler set him off quite badly, huh?

Knight of Steam: If Sieg can summon his own Servants... and that Mordred can appear, why can't Arturia herself appears (despite being an Alter)? Or rather, it's not going to be worthwhile if the cast aren't getting their own challenges right? *grinning evilly*

Thunder Dragon (part two): What a wall of text... Well, lessee here. I can understand for Jeanne, Tamamo and Kuroka. Meanwhile, Rossweisse, Atalanta and Tiamat are going to be put on holds. Not because I don't like them but I'm still thinking of the plot before anything else. I don't want the story to just suddenly bloats or veer away, y'know so I'll think about the rest later.

personofinterest: Yesh... I just hope you have a decent reason for picking Arjuna.

Serph: Uh-huh. Have a reason why you selected Arjuna for Archer?

Gob: Right...

Guest-kun: Huh...? Is that true? Did I mix up Enforcer and Executor then? Is there any difference at all?

Juniper: This chapter answered a part of your questions.

Your Lord: Archer will be put on hold.

Student: Surprisingly, I already watched it. It's both funny and chaotic and yet I can't help but finish it since not many stories feature fighting female lead character. I wonder if I still have the copies...

Boomlancer: Scary right? Seeing Berserker Jekyll is like seeing a zombie that wouldn't go down no matter what.

The Fool: Indeed. I wonder how this story goes. *stares at the distant horizon*

Mr. Tanaka: It's no exaggeration that Nasuverse gives you a reality check on Supernatural genre. Of course the battle too would look crazy.

Ophis cult: I can understand that. I too can't help but wonder how their interaction will play out.

Craven: Sure, but Archer position is on hold for now.

Guezt-gest eehh: What do you mean 'what happened'? It's just an emotional burst of a teenage dragon ;p

Shaker: Well... who knows? Alter sure _is_ being cryptic, eh?

Guest-san: The heartwarming part? The funny part will probably be stol-borrowed by Rider on the way. Thank you for the words of encouragement. Well, the idea is fine but the problem is, Atalanta has quite a bad luck with men in her life. Hope it can turn around this time.

Noah: Both. It's ridiculous how he won his position _and_ the general rankings with so much ease. Looks like there's some good for being a serial murderer with split-personality after all, huh.

ZJ: Yesh... so much to do for being the protagonist, eh, Sieg? Don't worry, it will (probably) be better in the future. And thank you for your concern.

NobuOtaku: Thank you, and go on. Make her proud if you can with the recent happening for the Archer position.

MadokaxSayaka: Archer will be put on hold until further notices.

Bang: Thank you. And you are correct.

Jak: Heh he...! You will know soon enough!

Ligos: Archer's going to be put on hold for now~

Mard Geer: It's a great idea, isn't it? You should thank Kamico-chan for suggesting it. Is that true about the poll? Strange... I'll go look it up.

CCC: Avenger isn't included in the usable Class-Piece.

light lord: Archer is put on hold for now though.

Strawberry: Sure. Archer is put on hold though.

Azrael: Spoiling isn't good but what happened to her is similar but not the same as Saber Alter. For the rest... well, some died fighting, others vanishing, and everyone dropped dead?

CCG's Ninja: If I remembered correctly, Hyde is changed from being a split-personality into a werewolf (kind of like wolverine) so it's more to last ditch thingy. Well, in Fate/Prototype fragment, he got burned by Brynhildr's rune and mana burst (flame), attacked by Ozymandias NP, Arash's arrows, then lastly stabbed through the heart by Excalibur. He still moved for several seconds before (finally) disappearing and this all happened _after_ his Master got killed during the battle.

Cinnam: Got it, but Archer is put on hold until further notices.


	11. Chapter 10 - The Teaparty

**UPDATE : **ver3.0

* * *

It wasn't until two and a half block away from the meeting place did I realize another thing was off back at the mansion.

"Rider, I already told you to serve us with tea. Why was it clear water?" I asked and met his purplish gaze.

"Oops, I was found out!" The Servant stuck out his tongue while his lips tugged upward like a prankster. "Sorry but drinking tea every time ain't healthy for ya, Master."

I... paused, considering what form of retaliation should I come up with. Seconds flew by. A minute passed. Five minutes went on...

I had nothing.

"...I... see. But I'm no longer a Homunculus, though?"

"Pssht! I've heard that line too many times to count for! Do it with moderation, Master. Or rather, live with it. This Astolfo strongly suggests you to do everything with moderation else you're gonna end up losing your wits before you can realize it."

Huh... That certainly made sense and yet it did not. What is this strange sense of enlightenment even though he didn't say anything remarkable...? Or rather...

"Then, what about women? You've been going out at night lately." I remarked.

It was quite easy to recognize Rider's flustered state. He stumbled despite nothing that could force him to, regained his balance after three steps then rubbed the back of his head with an exaggerated smile.

"Weeeelll... This and that is a completely different matter!"

...ah. As expected of Rider. He just knew how to make a point moot.

While I wanted to retort about that, something within me tingled. It was a familiar sign that informed me of odd prana fluctuations in the atmosphere, which often allowed me to detect the presences of Magi or nonhumans in the areas. Shifting my gaze ahead of me and there, among the row of stores lining neatly stood a café with an open terrace in front of it.

The used architectural design was particularly simple, making the building similar to a wooden tavern I once visited at Trifas. Painted with light green, white and plain brown, the café gave off bright and cozy atmosphere that eased one's heart from needless thoughts but because it was still weekdays, not many customers could be seen filling in the empty seats. Still...

"Uwah." Rider voiced out similarly to my mind's voice.

A man wearing fedora and a white suit with blond hair which darkened at the edges was at the terrace. He was sitting in a chair comfortably as he sipped his drink, reading what looked like a Bible if the peculiar cover design told any truth. The air surrounding him was solemn, almost tranquil even.

Yes. Almost, had it not been for a certain blonde-haired young woman sitting opposite of him.

She was exceptionally beautiful, be it from her appearance to her graceful posture. Wearing black gothic dress, she was like a young princess, if not a fairy who fancied human cultures. Unfortunately, the amount of food, particularly junk foods scattered in front of her reduced the impression and whenever she ate, it seemed as if the food had vanished from their plates.

"Wow, it's almost amazing how she ruined the atmosphere by simply displaying her appetite," Rider commented without even trying to beat the bush. "Did the air just crackled for a second?"

No... I don't think that happened. Maybe. I'm not so sure either but... They are truly living up to their reputations. One Servant and one leading Fallen Angel. The two were emitting charismatic confidence that seemed as if they would not bow down even when the world became their enemy.

It was simply awe-inspiring, and yet maddeningly frightening to witness.

Unfortunately, it didn't seem like they'd mind being discovered by their enemy even if it was in the broad daylight. There were no boundary fields set around the place, no spells to ward off noise or people, and nothing that indicated any hidden mechanism such as magical traps. I doubted they would want to move away either when the two seemed as if they were enjoying the situation to the fullest.

"Looks like there is no choice." Finding no other alternatives, I exhaled dejectedly. "Let's go, Rider. It might be best not to make them wait any longer."

"Aye aye sir!" Rider saluted while following closely behind me.

Entering the terrace, we steadily approached the area the two were at. The young woman was the first to notice as she inclined her head slightly before continuing on eating her meal, which were raspberry syrup-covered waffles with... French... Fries?

And is the extraordinarily large plate over there filled with all sorts of roasted sausages? Can she even finish them all by herself? And why does this remind me of something familiar...?

"Good morning, young man. I am glad you have decided to join us." The Fallen Angel shifted his legs, raising his half-filled teacup as he greeted me. "Come, come. Sit anywhere you'd like to."

...nodding wordlessly, I brought a chair with Rider staying as close as he could with me. Sitting down in-between our enemies, we straightened our backs but Kokabiel waved a hand.

"There is no need for wariness, young man. I do not have any reason to involve the innocent lives for the moment." He said.

I knitted my eyebrows, "'For the moment'...?"

The man chuckled but did not say anything more. He diverted the topic by asking us to order something up, even going to a length by slipping the menu list lying on the table toward me.

I gave a glance over it and handed the menu list to my companion. "...Very well. Rider, would you like to order something?"

"Seriously? Then let me have some!" He quickly snatched it away.

Ignoring the small chuckle of the Fallen Angel, the other Servant was still paying her own business. I gazed on her quietly, feeling very unnerved as the longer I observed, the more I was reminded of a certain golden-haired knight who possessed unhealthy obsession over her father.

Why? Are they related somehow? But how? Who is this person...? What is her true identity-

"It is uncouth of you to gaze on me like that. You made me lose some appetites." The Servant suddenly said with a striking sign of haughtiness.

My breath hitched unconsciously as a sense of guilt filled my chest very quickly. I also felt something akin to an intense glare directed from the side...

"Sieg... I thought I've taught you better than that." Rider voiced out his disapproval with a deadpan glare.

Uh... This is...

"No, Rider... That was... I couldn't help it." I answered slowly.

To tell the truth, I wasn't even sure of what I just said.

The response was almost automatic. Something inside my head tugged me to say something else, while something else suggested me to come out with honest truth. The mixed up intentions ended up as broken words that sounded like they didn't make any sense at all.

Why? This doesn't make sense at all...

"Ah, so you still have some troubles interacting with people. I guess it cannot be helped when you are a Dragon." Kokabiel offhandedly gave out his opinion.

This time Rider's glare shifted to the Fallen Angel. He was scowling visibly too.

"How did you know that? Sieg never told you what he is, didn't he?"

Kokabiel simply smiled but refused to give out any answer. The tense silence lasted until the waiter entered the terrace to deliver my and Rider's orders. While my companion chose a full-course meal that looked far too heavy to eat in the morning, mine was nothing but a toasted bread and warm chamomile tea.

Hmm... Well, I haven't drunk tea yet today so I decided to focus on consuming my share for now.

"It seems your orders have arrived," Kokabiel said before placing his teacup on the table. "If so, how about we begin-"

"Whoa, hold up a sec!"

Huh? Rider drew two of three people's attentions. He raised a hand as if signing a stop, but if seen in another light, it was as if he wanted to raise a question, which he actually did when he proceeded by himself.

"Before that, how did you slip in that invitation letter into Jeanne's room? I was sleeping with one eye opened during her recovery period, you know? While you're a nonhuman, I don't think a Heroic Spirit's senses could be eluded unless you're of Assassin-class. How did you do that?"

 _So it's that,_ Kokabiel murmured. He closed the Bible and placed it on the round table before crossing his fingers on top of his lap.

"While you are a Heroic Spirit, I can see that there is vast difference between you and Lady Alter," He paused, "Even though she is no expert in executing a reconnaissance mission, she is very capable in erasing her presence if needed to."

Lady... Alter? Is that her class? Or is that her name? I stared at the young woman in a gothic dress but she still ignored us, focusing only in eating her meals.

Hm...? Wait a moment... Is that a new dish? And isn't that hamburger? How much has she eaten until now?

"Eh, did she throw the paper in like a throwing knife?" Rider tilted his head. "No wonder I didn't notice. Still, Sieg here is extremely good in detecting prana signatures. He's a true Dragon with Fafnir's blood so he should have noticed her presence."

Ah, he blurted out again. I heard a sound resembling a snort from the female Servant while Kokabiel burst out in amused laughter.

"Rider...?" I looked at my Servant, feeling betrayed for once.

He very quickly, almost instantly slapped a hand on his mouth. Even so, I couldn't help but feeling dismayed a bit. How many times have this happened...? Our enemies seemed as if they are looking down on us now...

"Hoh ho...! So I see! You have Fafnir's blood running in your veins!" Kokabiel breathed in. "Perhaps this must be fate too."

Fate...?

"What are you talking about, Kokabiel?" I asked, feeling something was amiss.

The Fallen Angel, however, simply shook his head once, "You will know sooner or later. I am not the appropriate figure to explain your species' circumstances in this 'dimension'."

...Is that so? However, I noted the words he phrased. Rather than 'world', he used the word 'dimension' instead. He wasn't even confused by hearing the term 'Heroic Spirits', which all the Devils I knew were unfamiliar with. Giving a glance on the female Servant, I realized she was smirking slightly as we _somehow_ exchanged eye contact.

No, not somehow... Could it be that she provided Kokabiel about our world's information? It is true that to avoid unnecessary confusion, Servants were granted with modern knowledge of the era they were summoned in. In such a way, it simply made sense for Kokabiel to know what I and Rider knew through this Servant.

To think I'd be so careless in not counting the influence of summoning a Servant... Have I grown senile?

Evening my breathing intervals, I decided to pick the most concerning matter in the moment, "If so... Why did you go all the way to invite us? What is your aim behind all this?"

Unfortunately, the Fallen Angel once again dodged another question with a sly grin, "Rest easy, son. I will now explain."

Speaking not much more than necessary while dragging out one's curiosity... What a crafty individual. Perhaps this is just the common nature of a Fallen Angel, as they are known with their abilities to deceive humans and deprive them.

But once again, why calling me 'son'?

Ignoring my inner question, Kokabiel started, "It all began thousands years ago. At the greatest battlefield equaling the Twilight of Gods, man, Devils, Angels and Fallen Angels fought a three-way war for the sake of their own goals."

That's... Isn't that the Great War?

"The Angels fought under direct order of the almighty God to protect the world and humanity from evil. God himself was aware of the influences held by the Fallen and the Devils, so he crafted a system where newborn humans are gifted with the power to repel them."

A system... ah, so that's it.

"Sacred Gear, huh?" Rider interjected in-between consuming his food. "Come to think of it, that's quite a flashy thing to do for the Lord to protect humanity. Or rather, that's quite a convenient excuse to drag more people to fight a war nobody wanted to participate in."

Indeed. While I have yet to see all Sacred Gears and their wielders, I believed that it'd simply complicate everything as just like how there are good-natured people, there are also ill-natured people. If the requirement for someone to be paired with a Sacred Gear was luck alone, then the probability of a tyrant appearing in public was not zero at all.

Also, if only humans were gifted with it, then the Devils have already found a way to reap a share from the system...

"Your concern is understandable," Kokabiel nodded in agreement, "Which is why all three Biblical Factions compete to acquire these people as allies. Angels draw them in to bolster the Church's influence, Fallen Angels for their thirst of knowledge, and Devils for the sake of mocking the God. This shameful race sadly still continues to this day even though there is a ceasefire and agreement to not provoke a Faction directly."

 _It's almost like cold war in fact,_ he uttered offhandedly.

Cold war... If I remembered correctly, it was a type of war that occurred in humanity's history. It all started with two superpower nations which tried to rise against each other by developing their own weapons in total secrecy. The interesting part of this 'war' was that rather than throwing soldiers into a battlefield for a slaughter, the two nations utilized espionage tactics and intelligence gathering.

...huh, perhaps he is correct. The current situation of the supernatural side is like a powder keg ready to explode at any given time.

"The Great War advanced without minding the collateral damages. Nobody knew if there was any end to this war where everyone had long forgotten the real cause of. After brother-in-arms killed, we exacted vengeance and then be struck down in retribution. Over and over, the cycle continued to repeat that it became extremely difficult to know whose blood these hands were tainted with." The Angel of the Stars sighed, taking a long time in drinking his tea.

Once his tryst was satiated, he placed back the teacup on the table and leaned his back against the chair while raising his empty hands.

"How many have I killed? How much corpses of enemies, traitors and comrades have been buried by these hands? How many hands have slipped off my grasp despite them clearly requesting for help?" The being shook his head. "To be honest, I have started to forget it all. It is simply futile to recall it, for nothing can be taken back from the cruel hands of time."

...

"But abruptly, the war ended." Kokabiel gestured with his hand. "No, wrong. It was interrupted by two beings who were never involved with the war, but still feared by many."

Two beings...? It can't be... I stared at the Fallen Watcher but he nodded, smiling a twisted smile as if he had read my mind.

"The Two Heavenly Dragons - the Welsh Dragon and the Vanishing Dragon. Clearly, you have met one right? A Reincarnated Devil who possessed the Sacred Gear which sealed the soul of one of the two."

...I... gulped down my saliva but finding it was hard to accomplish, I chose to pick up my teacup only to realize it was already emptied out. While I started to feel how parched my throat was, the Fallen Angel's smile remained if not softened for a moment.

It was why I didn't expect him to order a teapot rather than another cup. The order quickly arrived but before I could refill my cup by myself, the Watcher grabbed the ear of the teapot and nudged to convey his intention.

...I nodded silently, allowing him to refill my cup. The brown red liquid was hot but it was nothing for a Dragon like me. This time though, I paid attention to how much I ought to drink. Once done and my thirst was quenched-

"The war ended but not without sacrifice. It was extraordinarily hard as the Two Heavenly Dragons stood in a special seat comparable if not higher than the Five Dragon Kings." Kokabiel sipped his tea with an eye closed.

"...Five Dragon Kings?" I repeated, feeling something tugging in my heart despite hearing that foreign terminology.

Unaware of it, the fallen angel simply shrugged, "It was once known as the Six Dragon Kings but one had to retire early. There is no need to concern yourself with them, for that is a matter you shall settle on a later date."

...I guess so. I didn't come all the way here to talk about my own problems after all.

"Then..." Kokabiel stalled. "The Three Biblical Factions faced a crisis unlike before. It was extinction. A period of decline. In your world, this might classify as the first sign of the Age of Gods 'ending'."

So even in a world without Collective Wills, the end could still arrive for these beings...

"But you guys found another ways right?" Rider interjected. "Aren't the Devils using Evil Pieces thing to convert humans into Devils? Can't you all do the same?"

That's true. That magical construct was something capable of breaking so many laws of Gaia that she'd probably send her most skillful Beast to hunt down its inventor. While she was ruthless, the Collective Will of the planet held quite an ego that was on a magnitude above everything I knew. No matter how much she denied it, she actually possessed a set of emotions, insignificant they may be.

"Hm. That is true but the Evil Piece is a system specifically designed for Devils and humans. Also, despite after so long, not even the most brilliant of the Grigori could decipher it completely." Kokabiel answered before sipping his tea again.

...I see. I'm slightly curious about how the Fallen Angel managed to obtain an Evil Piece but even if I pursued it, he'd probably avoid the subject just like earlier.

"Regardless... It was when a degree of stability returned that everything changed."

"...What changed?" I asked, my voice nearly overlapped with Rider's.

I looked at him but I realized his plates were empty, utterly clean excepting some grains of rice. Noticing my stare though, he just grinned and grabbed the... Wine... that was somehow already on the table without my awareness.

Wait. Since when alcohol was mixed together in this? I guess I will find out later. Turning my attention back to Kokabiel, I gave him the sign to continue by nodding.

He replied back in the same manner, "It was nothing unusual, truly. Just humans being humans. However, as centuries went by, their wisdom grew in exchange of their heart compass. Unfortunately, there was already no stopping it, especially for the Church."

For the Church...? Could it be...

"What do you mean? What exactly changed?" Rider asked while leaning forward.

This time, he was very eager to participate in the conversation. No, perhaps it was because the subject had relations with him. After all, Rider is a Paladin, a fellow believer of the same faith. He also once served the great king Charlemagne but... the only thing I could think of this 'change' Kokabiel pointed out was-

"You know it as well, young man," Kokabiel's smile distorted, "It is the Holy Sword Project. The forbidden research involving hundreds of orphaned children as test subjects in order to make artificial synchronization with a holy sword. All committed by an agent of Church."

Chills ran down my spine. I could feel the warm of the sunlight sliding away with freezing coldness radiated from Rider. He was strangely silent, and his eyes seemed to lose a little luster than the usual.

'...Ri...der?' I couldn't help but to call out.

'Not now, Sieg.' He replied, sounding even colder that I nearly believed it was someone else who spoke.

All the while, the Fallen Watcher did not smile, much less laughing. It was eerie how he switched his expression but it might be related to his vast experiences. He knew something I've tried to hide so much to protect Rider's mind. He knew how to negotiate, how to draw out emotions from people he was talking with for his own advantages...

"At first it was done by goodwill," Kokabiel explained, "One man wished for a miracle to guide everyone in the correct path, but he was rejected when he tried to challenge the trial often given to those wishing for a change. The man despaired, and obsessed to find another way to claim success. Young man, you clearly know who this person is, no?"

"...Valper Galilei." I muttered out the heretic's name in distaste. "But this is a crime made by one person right? It's not like the entire Church is..."

"No, the distortion the Church has runs even deeper than this."

As he entwined his fingers, resting his elbows on the table, Kokabiel stared hard and met my gaze head-on.

"Young man, have you encountered a former nun named Asia Argento?" The being asked.

I frowned, "I know her. Why? What is her relation with this all?"

"Did you know that she was once revered as a holy maiden before her fall? Or, do you know why she fell and became a Devil?" The Fallen Angel questioned me.

...that's... I...

"I don't know." Unable to understand his point, I sighed as I told him the white truth.

The Watcher nodded in understanding, "Then listen well. She was exiled by the Church... Simply because in her ignorance, she had healed a wounded man who turned to be a Devil."

...what?

"Not only that. All the respects she gained. All the love she was given with. All the kindness and warmth she received from the people around her... They all simply vanished, replaced by disgust and scorn for her clearly innocent action, done out of goodwill in a situation that could be nothing less than a coincidental encounter."

That's... How come...? But whenever I saw her, I always saw a bright smile on her face. That girl who seemed as if she was too innocent to be a Devil... I had thought it was strange she became one willingly.

And yet, if what Kokabiel said was the truth, then...

"The current Church is like that. Functioning only to keep their own dignity and influence as the most influential religious organization in the world. They don't even care if someone became a scapegoat, since what they are concerned with is all about the faith the masses have for them. They will do anything to ensure their belief standing strong even if they have to resort to underhanded means. This all happened _until now_."

The Fallen Watcher soon laughed, but it was an empty laughter. There was no emotion in that laughter. There was no joy, or even a shred of cynicism that could be found in some people I knew.

It was a morbid laughter, which abruptly ended as he directed an intense gaze on me.

"Now, _my son._ Let us go back to your earliest question. Why am _I_ doing this all?"

I looked back at him, unaware that the focus of the discussion had been put on my shoulders. I was admittedly taken by a surprise as the Fallen Angel suddenly delivered a question that I should have used against him.

Even so, from the information I have gathered until now... And placing the clues together... Several theories sprouted in my head.

"Kokabiel, do you intend to antagonize the Church by stealing the Excalibur fragments?" I asked.

The blonde man shook his head, "I have no grudges against them. But if I were to put it into words... I must say I am disgusted and disappointed by the humans currently running it."

I see... Then his goal must be something else if the Church's distortion was not his reason to do all this. He is cooperating with a heretic and a psychopathic exorcist after all. Still, it wasn't enough to confirm my theories.

"If so, are you seeking something in this land to even use it as a hideout?" I asked again.

"And what will you do if I were to answer?" He replied.

I narrowed my eyes. _He dodged the question._ Even though there was no hidden implication behind it, I could now see a silver lining in the darkness. It still have no solid form but there was a vague dimness that gave out general direction to a possibility.

Thus I pressed on, "There are two Devils owning this land. The future heiresses of Gremory and Sitri, with the former being the younger sibling of the current Satan. Even before I entered this town, they have been living here and marked this place as an official territory recognized by everyone in the Moonlit World."

It might also be the reason why the church here was left in such a shoddy state. With the nature of the eastern people, it was quite obvious that religious organizations such as the Church would find hard difficulties to establish influence in this land. The small amount of influence and faith allowed larger freedom for the Devils to commit their activities, which resulted in their official domination over this town.

Hence... "It has relations with them, no? To even steal the holy swords stored in Christendom, bringing them all the way here... Perhaps if it goes well, you can create a situation where the Church will once again fight the Devils in the open."

It was then I saw definite change in the atmosphere. At first it was no more than a subtle twitch of prana signature but the change became heavier that I couldn't help but to rotate my head to search for it.

And then I met her golden gaze.

"Hoo... I see that letting you off the hook was the correct choice," For the second time, the young woman stated out, "It seems not only you are capable enough as a fighter, your wisdom cannot be underestimated either. _Interesting..._ "

Her voice was crisp and beautiful, like bells chiming in a breeze. But there was something dangerous flowing in those words, as if holding something back from surfacing. That alluring voice...

There was unimaginable _battle lust_ hidden within her stoic words, buried so deep I almost dismissed it as a mere shred of curiosity.

"Ah, so you noticed it as well." Kokabiel chuckled.

I directed my gaze back on him and he simply grinned with an arm propped to support his head.

"While it is still incomplete, I have to praise you for comprehending the intention behind my conspicuous actions," He snorted, "Yes, I stole those poor excuses of holy swords from the Church. I brought them to this faraway land because I intended to drag those two Devils into my scheme."

...scheme...? What kind of scheme required the Devils and the holy swords all the way here...? Before all that, why does it feel as if I was missing something...? Something... important...

Why here? Why chose this land in particular? Is there even something worth of value, enough that he'd risk getting hunted down by two of the Three Biblical Factions...? Something that required the presences of two influential Devils of the Ars Goetia...

...

"...so that's it." I muttered grimly.

"Huh? What do you mean, Master?" Rider asked. "You realized something?"

I nodded gravely, my expression did not change even as I leveled my gaze. Facing Kokabiel, I had long placed the teacup on the table, leaving it alone that the tea within it became cold from the weather.

Even so, despite the clear sky and sunlight streaming from above, what grasped my heart was colder than ice. This chill running down my spine... This dread I felt was something I have experienced before. I couldn't forget it even if I wanted to.

 _It was similar to the time when the Fake Priest announced his plan to 'save' mankind._

"The Devils. Gremory and Sitri... They must have values higher than I had estimated. Their combined presences signify something large that can create even larger chaos. You intend to use holy swords to drag the Church into that chaos, am I wrong?"

The Fallen Angel did not laugh. He simply sat still, observing my every action with critical gaze. The same went to the female Servant but then an applause came from Kokabiel.

"Correct again. Young man, your learning rate truly astounded me," He said pridefully, "Then allow me to unravel another truth to you."

With his hand he held the teacup by the ear and raised it.

"After the Great War, the original Satan died while cooperating to defeat the Two Heavenly Dragons. As a way to bury the void left behind by his death, the Devils came up with a democratic system where four strongest and most accomplished Devils became united rulers of the Devils Faction. In Japanese, they are what you call as Yondai Maous," The Fallen Angel explained, "The current Four Satans came from the House of Glasya-Labolas, Astaroth, Sitri... And Gremory. Rias Gremory and Sona Sitri are siblings of the current Lucifer and Leviathan."

Like lightning, a possibility flashed within my mind, pronouncing my greatest fear into reality. I was so shaken that I stood off the seat, my eyes widening in shock. I couldn't register Rider's voice nor did I notice the female Servant's stoic gaze narrowing.

Still... I chose to weave that fear into words, "Kokabiel, you..."

The man's smile was faint. It was more like a ghost of a smile rather than one. Even so, I could notice the amusement in his eyes, and the distortion in that faint emotion. He was... He was serious...

"You intend to restart the Great War..."

How come? How could that be? To think that my benefactor had been planning such a horrible thing all this time...

"Wh-why? Why would you do that?" I asked as I tried to get a hold of my bearing.

But mercilessly, Kokabiel answered, "My reason? There is nothing. I simply wish to restart the Great War. Same goes to Lady Alter."

Directing attentions to the dark knight, she responded by lifting her chin and stared at me. Even though it was just a natural action, something was wrong. Something was inherently _wrong_ with the way she did it.

I couldn't understand her. I couldn't comprehend her. And I... I even _feared_ her. But why...?

"Are you confused?" The girl suddenly asked.

Taken aback, I stuttered, "...ye, yes... I don't... understand. Why would you support your Master despite his... wish?"

I didn't want to acknowledge that nonsense. I couldn't believe it no matter what. This isn't a case where you can just do something without proper reasoning at all. It just made no sense, since there is always a meaning behind one's actions.

A reason to justify one's deeds. A reason that always became the pillar of support for someone to clear tall hurdles...

"I am simply obeying his commands. There has never been anything more or less than that." Alter replied.

I clutched my shirts at the torso, suppressing the nausea that continued to permeate within my mind. "...even so... why...?"

She turned quiet. As she lowered her eyelids, her golden-colored eyes seemed to reveal a glint of light. Was it my imagination? Was there still some hope left-

"What else is there supposed to be?" She questioned as she inclined her head and met my gaze. "Don't you too feel joy at risking your life in never ending battles?"

In that moment, the hope I clung to was crushed, trampled by her who smirked like a Tyrant.

* * *

 _"The stage is all set. Before the appointed time though, let me tell you something as a gift..."_

Through the crowded streets, under the dazzling rays of sunlight, life flourished in various ways. The children playing in a park. The students conversing during lunch break. The adults working for their own reasons and goals.

Clearly, their past, present and their future were not something that held no value at all. There was something that allowed them to shine bright like stars in the dark night sky, and it was held by every soul I came across with. Something so important that it sometimes caused others, even Gods, to be jealous of.

"...Rider," I called out quietly, "Was I wrong, to believe that someone, no matter who and what they are, to possess goodwill?"

The meeting had long been adjourned. Sometimes, there was no need for an outburst to break off a conversation and sometimes, even violence couldn't be enough to stop it. It was simply a matter of when the parties involved think 'it could no longer be helped'.

In this case, though, I didn't know what else to say. Neither Rider did, so we chose to withdraw earlier than we had planned to. Besides, it was impossible to beat that Servant when we didn't even know her true identity. All we obtained was her name, 'Saber Alter', and that she 'looked forward' to our next battle.

"I honestly don't know," Rider answered while walking a step behind me, "But I'm going to trust you just like I always did before."

...

"...I... I fought, so that my existence's meaning do not become meaningless," I stalled, "I want my kin's 'meanings'... our proof of existence not to be denied, even when they could only be born by starting the most horrible war on the planet."

I wasn't aware of where we were going to. I had no clues, to be honest. It was because my mind... I, couldn't wrap everything at all.

"I know. I also thought the same during your absence, Sieg." Even so, Rider answered steadily.

Without fear or hesitation, the Heroic Spirit replied as if without thinking. But I knew... I understood that he recognized the underlying meanings behind those words. How could he not when he had attained the Throne of Heroes, which was known as the apex of humanity's achievement.

"...my dream is selfish. I fought only for my sake and my siblings. I... I think, maybe fighting the future Ruler fought for... It was all something that I deemed as another excuse for that selfishness too." I told him, confessing the pent up doubts I had long thought of after leaving the Surface World.

"Yeah... I can totally see that," Rider nodded twice lightly, "But so what?"

I halted my steps, turning to face the Servant who stopped in his tracks as well. We exchanged gazes, a pair was clouded by so many emotions... And the other was firm, determined... as well as clear, devoid from any doubt at all.

It pained me, to meet Rider's gaze. I envied that gaze when all I could do was be so... indecisive. So uncertain of what I was supposed to do. I hated myself as much as I admired those cloudless eyes for giving me the pillar to lean for.

"Am I... Am I allowed to deny that 'wish' too? Should I be allowed to crush another dream, just so that I can realize my own...?" I asked after a long silence was brought up.

Then - _Rider's hands flew to slap my cheeks from both sides._

He startled me. His sudden response struck me speechless, causing me to blink twice like a dumbfounded fool. During the dazed state I was in, my head was pulled, my body arched so as to lean forward... and my forehead touched Rider's.

"Sieg, you're my Master," He said while closing his eyes, "You're my friend too. You're my trusted companion I swore to fight alongside with. We went through hard times, teamed up to launch some stupid stunts, then won a Great Grail War by screwing things up beyond cosmic proportions. And it's embarrassing to say this but... _I love you._ "

...huh...? I... Blinked, pulling back a bit but Rider forced me to once again bump our foreheads and noses. The sudden close proximity he created also forced me to greet his purple-colored eyes with my ruby-colored eyes.

"Didn't I tell you? I don't really care about annoying things like differences of genders and all that. Or rather, I don't get it! Sorry, I'm dumb and forgetful anyway." Rider stuck up his tongue a bit, smiling and yet looking as if pouting.

Even so, I saw that strong light radiating from inside his eyes. I saw the intense 'meaning' behind that everlasting confidence.

"So yeah! You got that, okay? I really, really, _REALLY_ love you, Sieg!" Rider exclaimed.

He let go of my face and stepped back. He grinned widely, innocent cheerfulness emanated by his every gesture as he twirled in place, his purple hood fluttering while he danced with tints of red streaking across his cheeks.

Even so, he smiled. He laughed out loud, interchanging his emotions from giggling to laughing and then executing a series of small jumps like a rabbit. As he twirled, hopped from a spot to another, his braided light pink hair trailed behind him with the black ribbon looking like a large butterfly which had shared his joys.

"Don't ya worry, Sieg! I'm going to stay with ya! Let's fight and win another battle! Let's prove our points to the world and make that nasty crow go down for the count! I don't even care if you don't want me to stay with you, since I'm going to be a pest that will be with you until I stop! And just so you know, this Astolfo ain't changing his mind no matter what!" Rider announced, not minding the surroundings or even the presences of people around us.

It caused me to panic but something outweighed it. Something inside me stirred. Something burned within me, blazing like a bright red flame that would not go down even when rain and winds arrived. Something that shone brighter than the brightest star of the Northern Cross.

As I clenched my hands, I gazed at Rider who had finished his speech and stood in front of me. He met my gaze so easily, then extended a hand towards me.

"Alright - why don't we start, Master? That bastard said we can't win without at least another Saber so let's crush him in his own game!" Rider exclaimed. "We still have three days to go before he begins his shady ritual to reforge-the-holy-swords-that-don't-look-like-shards-of-the-Last-Phantasm-at-all!"

I smiled wryly, "And what are you trying to do by extending your hand forward, Rider?"

In response, the Servant snickered mischievously. It sounded so carefree, confident, and reliable that for ordinary people, that expression would have been an equivalent of a field of roses in full bloom. His charm was such that it could mesmerize anyone regardless of their genders.

But in my eyes... _that smile is my only ray_ _of hope._

"Isn't that obvious? I can't move without your approval, Master. Both my sword, my tome and lance and other stuff I have! 'Sides, I'm your Servant anyway." Rider answered.

I see... Though I preferred not to use such a misleading response. We don't even know if the Servant we're going to fight is only one after all, so the best plan should be moving as cautiously as we can. Despite all that, though...

"Ah. Let's go, Rider."

Accepting the handshake, we exchanged eye-contact and nodded in synchronized harmony. This time I did not waver. This time, I accepted and recognized that clear gaze. This time, I bolstered my confidence and picked my choice. When I closed my eyes, though-

 _"My reason? There is nothing. I simply wish to restart the Great War. Same goes to Lady Alter."_

...Kokabiel... If you intend to destroy everything without reasons... If you want to sacrifice the lives that are supposed to be born in the future as if denying their existences altogether...

 _Then I will stop you no matter what it takes._

...

"...hold on. Rider, if your words were the truth, there's a problem." My eyes snapped open and I knitted my brows to emphasize my seriousness.

Rider blinked, "Huh? What's that?"

"Those of same gender can't mate and produce an offspring." I stated bluntly.

Rider gaped, "Huh!? You still don't get it...?!"

Uhm... What do you mean? So there really _is_ a definite difference between a relationship built by romantic attractions and one built by sexual attractions? I still believe there's no difference since there will be mating procedure in either cases...

* * *

And so... as the sun was about set, I reached the mansion.

When I passed through the front gate, faint shapes of stars began to appear in the sky while dark blanket of night loomed in from the east. It looked like the sky would be cleared of clouds for several days but the wind started to pick up and blew withered leaves away.

"Ah, welcome back...!" A familiar voice resounded upon my entrance into the mansion.

I lifted my head up, finding a fluttering veil of golden. Greeting me with an apron draped over a cardigan was one Jeanne d' Arc, her amethyst-colored eyes reflecting my figure with clear clarity that seemed like it would steal my soul away if I peered any deeper into them.

"Jeanne..." I involuntarily called out. "What are you doing?"

"Well..." The exorcist scratched her cheek, the broom she was holding placed behind her back. "Somehow, one after another, I thought of repaying my debts by helping out a little."

Repaying... Debts? I raised an eyebrow but shortly after chose not to pursue the topic. I was one step away from recalling how diligent Ruler was and compared the two on the spot. No matter how much I longed for her presence, to even compare two individuals who not only bore similar appearances, but also possessed similar souls was something I found as shameful. In this case, the Jeanne before me was just like a slightly older Laeticia.

Perhaps, this was what it meant to project an image on someone.

It was a foolish thing to do. Something that had no value, and would only hurt others in the long run. If I kept this up, I'd only end up harming everyone... Just how much problems do I have to solve in this life...?

"Umm... Was it unnecessary?" Jeanne asked worriedly.

The question prompted me to respond with a shake of head. Showing a resigned smile, I waved a hand lightly.

"No..." I stalled. "No, it wasn't unnecessary at all. Thank you, for helping out."

Even though I didn't intend to, I realized how my voice seemed to have stuttered. I wondered why, but I decided to pay it no heed as Jeanne made a sound as if she remembered something she had forgotten until now.

"Oh, yeah! Your friend... Astolfo, was it? Did you not return together?" She asked.

I once again shook my head, "I asked him to do an errand. Don't worry, he will be back before night arrived."

 _I see,_ she replied while taking a thoughtful posture. It was kind of rare for someone to ask such question but maybe this was related to how only the two of us Jeanne had ever seen after waking up. From the looks of it, she must have explored the mansion though it wasn't like I had anything to hide unlike Magi would.

Then again, other than Rider, my room wasn't even decorated at all. I had no exact idea why but the thought bothered me a little. Hm... Maybe I will address the issue later. While Rider's out, I have to accomplish my duty as well.

"Jeanne. I'm... Going to be in my room. If you need something, don't hesitate to tell me." I told the Exorcist.

She replied with two nods. Giving my thanks, I then walked to my room and once I was there, locked the door from the inside.

Taking a glance over the interior, there wasn't anything that stood out. Just a colorless room that didn't have a shred of an aspect of its owner. Even so...

"I guess it's time to do it again," I sighed audibly, "While I have no need to care about the time and location, it still doesn't make it any less troublesome."

Going to a shelf, I took out small bottles containing chemicals required for the task. While they were not poisonous for each of their own, the correct combination will obviously be one of a toxic. I had to make sure I didn't cause the slightest mistake either, since I was basically gambling my fate... This town's fate with this ritual.

 _Even so, I have to do this._

"For all I can do now is to push forward and struggle as much as I can."

Taking out one last object from the shelf, I held it with one hand. It was a piece of refined iron. Its shape was angular and reflecting a shadow of glimmer. was the last summoning catalyst - a broken fragment of a holy sword.

* * *

Rider had decided today was both the best day and worst day in his second life.

Not that it wasn't enjoyable, but he couldn't help it when he ate and drunk alongside his enemy. It was kind of surreal, now that he thought about it clearly. Even so, he was a Servant foremost before he was a human so...

"Mm, but there's a big problem now." He mumbled with an index finger pressing just below his lips.

In his outburst, he told his Master something outrageous. It seemed it became kind of a talk among the townspeople in the area but other than that...

His Master still had a few screws loose.

"He grew up nicely and yet there's some parts that got stunted," He muttered, then sighed, "Really now. Just how and why would you _still_ come up with that kind of conclusion? Is it because you're out of touch with the world for centuries?"

Obviously, he wasn't trying to badmouth him. Far from it, he believed that as an individual, Sieg had matured into a responsible adult, which he was quite sure he couldn't be even if he tried his damnedest on it. Rider had a curse per say and it wasn't his role to be the cool-headed person among the bunch.

Just him being himself was more than enough.

"Yep! I'm just gonna do that!" Rider exclaimed in a sing-song tone. "Oh, yeah! The errand! I almost forgot!"

Giving a few knocks on his head, the second-rate Servant quickly scurried toward the most prestigious school in this town. It was quite easy to know just from the building and layout alone but Rider preferred to call it the Devils' Den, since Devils studied there as if it was the normal thing to do.

 _Heh, Devils having a rosy school life with humans._ _This world really_ is _absurd._

However, just when he was about to reach it, a telepathic link entered his mind.

"Huh? Sieg, what'cha up to?" Slowing down into a walk, Rider responded with a question.

There was oddly a short static appearing in the link. It was as if... _No, it couldn't be, right?_

 _'...Rider...'_

After a few counts, there emerged his beloved Master's voice. And yet, it was unenthusiastic and seemed frantic. _Huh?_

 _'I think we have a problem with our Saber.'_

Rider blinked and raised his chin, "Eh? What do you mean-"

 _BOOM!_

There was a distant sound of explosion accompanied by a wave of prana. Rider jolted on the spot and turned a precise one-hundred-eighty degrees...

Only to see smokes scaling upward to the sky from a certain mansion. A peculiar streak of lightning almost could be seen surging in them but no one, not even Rider could ever miss that flashy red color which belonged to _a certain pain in the ass_.

"Geh?! Seriously...!?"

* * *

"What... What on earth is going on!?"

Jeanne was having a bad day. She could fully believe that something was out to get at her for something she didn't even remember. It all began when she attacked her savior when she was still half-asleep, then it went downhill as she had been incredibly rude for freeloading without doing anything other than lazing around.

As a fine follower of the Lord, the Inheritor of the Saint's Spirit would never allow good deeds be repaid with evil deeds.

That was why she chose to clean the place, which turned to be a humongous mansion that almost broke her back several times over. It was utterly exhausting but she psyched herself up thinking she could resume her mission after the debt was repaid.

 _Of course_ something would happen when she thought this was going to end peacefully.

"Uwah!?" Jeanne yelped when a piece of ceiling fell upon her.

Finding no choice, she activated her Sacred Gear and sliced the debris with her rapier. As she swatted the holy sword down to cut the clouds of dirt away, she found out... the furniture she cleaned... moments earlier... breaking apart.

...

 _Alright, take a deep breath..._

"What the _hell_ is going on here!?"

In the end, even she couldn't help but cursing like an angry madman.

But as if waiting for the cue, another piece of the ceiling fell alongside the figure of someone. Jeanne set up a combat stance but realized it was that silver-haired boy who told her he was going to be in his room...

"Eh?! Wh-what's wrong!? Why are you injured!?" She rushed to his side.

The boy flinched but he shook his head. As he got up, he walked past her, raising his hand which, Jeanne just realized, was holding a great sword large enough that it didn't seem to befit his stature at all. The shape of the sword was too much like a bladed cross too so rather than an actual weapon, it looked like a ceremonial equipment instead.

 _And yet he's wielding it with so much ease...? Despite having such a slender figure, just how strong is he?_

"Ah... Well, while I'd like to explain this isn't what it looks like..." Sieg paused. " _She's already here._ "

"She?" Jeanne parroted.

And then, plowing down the rest of the ceiling, one scarily armored knight with horned helmet descended.

 _"Yoooooouuuu shitty Homunculuuuuusss!"_

Jeanne was actually surprised this time. Not only did the knight appeared out of nowhere, the body too was encased by flaring red aura and electricity that made the knight looking no different than an incarnation of a demon. And yet she couldn't help but notice how strikingly familiar the flaring aura, posture and sword handling the knight had; it was to the extent of petrifying her in place.

"Tsk! So she used Prana Burst already huh?!" Sieg muttered out loude then raised his great sword.

In a blink of an eye, the two were already in close proximity and swinging their swords with all their strength. Metals clashed together... and in the next moment, Jeanne was blown away.

 _Yep, this isn't my day alright..._

* * *

"! Jeanne!?" Feeling her prana signature distancing away unnaturally, I turned my head only to see the Exorcist flying away like a leaf toyed by the wind.

"Do you think! You have the time to look away!?"

My instinct screamed and I dodged in reflex, missing a red bullet taking the empty spot to swing a broad sword as if it was a club. The resulting winds were like storms, tearing apart the entire hallway with glass vases and windows shattering as aftereffects. I too was not caught unharmed and was thrown out through the windows, landing roughly in the yards surrounding the mansion.

Stepping out from the clouds of dirt and scene of devastation, the red knight pushed aside a rubble, the eyehole of her mask seemed to have glowed with inhuman green glow. Her silver sword tapped her shoulder pauldron and the sound the clinking metals produced was anything but comforting to me.

"...Mordred..." I addressed the knight quietly, "Please listen to me first. I can explain this all..."

 _Ha,_ she retorted menacingly. I almost reeled back had I not have vast combat experiences in the Reverse Side of the World. Even among many Beasts and Heroic Spirits I have faced, the Knight of Treachery held one-of-a-kind aura that I couldn't help but feeling pressured greatly by it.

It was regal as much as it was violent. The aura she had was one combining the majesty of a royalty together with the wildness of a beast. Normally, it wasn't something one could come across to even if encountering a Heroic Spirit but _she..._ The Knight of Treachery was exceptionally unique.

And then - she pointed the ornate silver sword on me.

"Listen up, you insolent bastard," She glared down condescendingly, "I didn't respond to your calling because of anything like a sense of camaraderie. You witnessed my splendor and are living as a proof of my greatness! I also owe you a debt to which this me is going to fulfill before returning back to my rightful throne!"

...Uh... That's... I don't think I've done anything that makes you feel indebted though...?

"But!" The Knight protested. "What you've done is utterly, absolutely unforgivable!"

The Servant stomped a foot forward, then poised a stance; prana swirling around her to coat her entire body. What appeared next were bright red light and electricity emanating from her entire being as she readied her next strike.

"You dared to summon this me with a piece of _that_ sword! And you broke it! You will pay for that sin with your life, you bastard!" Mordred roared.

I took a step back, "No, like I said...! I never meant to do that!"

"No excuses!"

Gah! This pain in the ass Servant...!

* * *

Rider had a bad feelings about this.

She was obviously aware _who_ his Master had just summoned. A small clue was more than enough for the Servant who had survived the Great Grail War to remember that wild, uncontrollable, beast-like swordsmanship which possessed red electricity.

 _But to think even_ this _could happen... Sieg's really living his life with a blast!_

With another step, he jumped and landed on a house's roof. It was one block away from the mansion and from the height, he could see it quite clearly.

"Oh, boy, they've already started the party." Rider commented with a hand in-line with his eyebrows.

The mansion was at total wreck. More than half of the building was torn down and the yards were gouged as if a series of meteorites had rained down. Even the usual 'gas explosion' excuse Magi always came up with wouldn't be enough to cover up this _incident._ The thing that always left Rider speechless was that almost the entirety of them never tried to come up with a different, more plausible lies.

 _As if melted people in an area which suggested physical damages could have a link to gas explosion._

Still, Rider was a Servant so he would never stand idly when his Master was in danger. Confirming there were no people around, he transformed into his battle gears and brought up his most trusted magical lance.

"Oh, almost forgot. Gotta set up the wards first!" Rider took out four charm papers and smirked. "Alright! Here I go!"

* * *

"Where the hell are you hiding at, you coward!"

As if. Nobody would ever do as you said when they are threatened by a sword that could amplify the user's strength by folds. Though saying that, even masking my presence and prana signature would not be enough to get away from a Knight of the Roundtable.

Still... I guess I should find some wider place to fight in. There is just so much things to use in a mansion. As I tried to come up with a proper plan, a telepathic link was connected to my mind.

 _'Aah, ah. Master, you listening?'_

Hm...? Rider is it? Have you arrived yet?

 _'Yeppie yep! I've already erected the wards so nobody will notice! Ah, but, I think it's too late for the mansion though.'_

No... I think that's the best way to do this. The wards the Devils had were more effective than runes in general and some were able to create an alternate realm. It was quite baffling that Devils used such wards to hold something like a Rating Game but...

Wait. The wards we broke into the night we encountered Saber Alter...

Now that I think about it, it wasn't made like how Devils made one. A different ward capable of making another realm... And yet it didn't have distinctive feature to give a hint of its origin... How did I miss it and not asked about it to Kokabiel?

 _'Err... Master, you listening?'_

Ah, yes. What is it Rider?

A strange pause occurred, _'...there's just a tiiiiiny bit problem now.'_

...a problem? What is it? Why do you sound like you have messed something up? Or did you do something again?

 _'...well, yeah. When I set up the wards...'_

Hmm...?

 _'I got locked out from it so I can't enter the area you're in without breaking the wards first!'_

...

"...Rider. Just what have you done...?" I exasperated reflexively.

 _"Over there huh?!"_

Damn. I screwed up too.

I immediately threw myself to the side and the wall that hid me was seared in halves. Mordred charged in, destroying whatever left of the rubble and turned her head, catching me in her sight.

"Found you!" She exclaimed and once again charged forward using Prana Burst.

The surroundings were blown away, the broken windows shattered into pieces and even I had to wince when the air vibrated. Even so, I could see her trajectory so I immediately retreated and raised the great sword-

"No use doing that!" Mordred roared and smashed Clarent down.

The swords trembled before one finally gave out under the sheer pressure of the impact. The great sword shattered, and I was blown away but I recovered midway through before creating another great sword from my hand. When I looked up-

"RaaaaaaaaaaaaAAAAAAAAHHH!"

When I saw the Knight of Treachery dashing towards me, I saw something that caused me to flinch.

That posture. Those skills. Those set of movements. And their similar appearances...

"So that's it." I uttered as I dropped the great sword I had just crafted.

Then everything went blindingly bright.

* * *

She came to when the tremors had stopped, and the waves of destruction ceased haunting her. But no matter how relieved she felt...

 _It was similar to back there._

How the heavily-armored red knight moved... It was similar to that Black Knight. _Why? How come?_

Needless to say, Jeanne was scared. She didn't know what to do if she were matched against her once again. There was just no possible way for her to win, and she was frightened if that possibility reoccurred in front of her again.

However... She was reminded of the boy who saved her. That voice he had... That demeanor he had... Oddly enough, she somehow compared him with her longtime friend in the Church.

A fellow Exorcist with the name of a hero. A descendant who inherited powerful demonic swords, yet fighting for the faith she believed in.

They were similar to a degree that she couldn't help but to remember him. More and more memories appeared in her head, filling her heart with questions she didn't know.

 _What will he do? What will happen to him? What if the red knight was an accomplice coming after him?_

More than anything, she realized she was worried, and feared for his safety. Her powerless legs moved unknowingly and she got up, leaving the light rubble she was buried under.

Jeanne recalled his name. She remembered his kindness. Then for some reasons...

The upset voice that seemed to roar like a dragon overlapped with his.

"Sieg... kun...!" Jeanne called out hoarsely.

As she went over a small hill of debris, she found him. But the sight was enough to nearly take her breaths away.

After all, there was the armored knight with his sword resting next to the boy's neck. A moment of carelessness would spell his death, and Jeanne was rooted in place, not knowing what to do.

But...

The knight spoke first, "You bastard... What game are you playing at? Why did you drop your sword?"

The sound... Was... Oddly feminine? It was high-pitched and rough but Jeanne knew that this was the voice of a fairly young woman. _So that's what he meant by 'she' back there..._

"...I realized who I was up to. Now I understand who my opponent is."

Then the silver-haired boy replied, his tone was steady and almost stoic. Even so, there was gentleness in that voice, a warmth that was very foreign in a devastated scene commonly associated with warzone.

"What do you mean?" The knight asked, seemingly impatient.

The boy with a blade next to his neck nodded. He was crouching with one knee but there was no fear in his eyes, neither was there any doubt in his every movement. He had no fear, as if the knight would not cut him down no matter what.

As he raised his head, the boy raised his chin, seeming as if he had met the knight in the eyes.

"That night..." He breathed out. "The enemy Servant is undoubtedly... Related to you. I realized why when the two of you have so many similarities it can no longer be called as coincidences."

The armored knight flinched, but the boy continued on.

 _"I think - I might have crossed swords with King Arthur herself."_

...huh? What did he just say...?

* * *

 **-Author's Rambling (Once again no Tavern or Dojo because of health condition)-**

 _"So yeah... I caught cold, flu, sore throat and incessant headache."  
_

The tenth chapter! Hurrah! And lots of things to do! I'm not going to drag long here. I may have written this chapter like a drunkard since my brain hasn't worked at top condition due to the aforementioned situation.

Problem is, my headache hasn't subsided after three days. I guess I better check up again to the doctor. It's kind of annoying since my head always throbbed whenever I stare on a screen of laptop or smart phone. It's to the point that I couldn't get enough inspiration, and it prevented me from taking my time writing and reading reviews.

So anyway, Author's out.

* * *

 **RAC!**

A Random Guest: Yeah, already fixed. Thanks for mentioning it.

ZJ: Mhmm... I'm wondering if you have any input for replacement though.

Student: Hmm... A sound reason. Unfortunately, I haven't thought far and I decided to focus on other Servants first. Then again, without Arjuna, Atalanta is now in the lead.

Guest-kun: *nods dumbly* I, I see... looks like I really mistook it. Ugh, got to fix them all (the chapters) again, then...

Knight of Steam: Yeah... I'll see how it will turn out. And don't worry, it sometimes happen to me too.

Snorlax-kun: Wait, what? Nero can summon 666? Ah, right, her myth and name for some reasons had relation with that.

King0fP0wers: Yep, I'll do just that! Thanks for the encouragement!

CCG's Ninja: Uhm... If I remembered correctly, it's a one-way street for him so it's kind of Last Resort thing. And don't worry, our beloved eyecandy always have a way to expose secrets!

MadokaxSayaka: Unfortunately, it is so. Please relay to me your reasons and methods to avoid the most common disease of all stories if you still want to have him included.

Thunder Dragon: You know, at this rate, I'm going to have to store your messages into a word document. I honestly have no idea which one to answer now. Well, first of, I'm also beginning to incline to Atalanta soon so I know what it will entail to. Secondly... Uh, got a link? Demon among Devils... is that the fanfic or the chapter? I'm kind of interested. Then the last one... Mhmm, yep, I can see that but I'll just write it in my style while incorporating some of your suggestions.

LL: Bless his innocence then, for the purity of such event should not be tainted!

u already know me: Well... the problem of being angered is that sometimes, one cannot fully remember his actions. It will take too much space too so maybe next chapter. Also, you really is one heck of a fan of the AUO.

Guest-san: Sometimes, there will be POV changes but it's more to fill up what Sieg doesn't see or understand or when he's off the screen. And here's another summoning ritual got out of control.

Mard Geer: Because Sieg has too much secrets he doesn't want to divulge~ Also, this can be another hint! Well, I haven't thought far about it but having Servants popping out one after another will make a trick that will get boring after a while.

Kirin: Yeah. I think it'd be better if an entire Arc is dedicated for each Servant too. And the video? Uh... 'Fear and Loathing in Gensokyo' where the references all come from classic references which are hard to be found nowadays?

Boomlancer: Yet again something random appeared...! Really, it sometimes destroyed my image of some amazing heroic figures.

Azrael: That... can happen. Hm, but the how and why is still up in the air.

Tobi: Well, first thing first, any way to fix that Archer's personality without turning him into a real perfect human?

Erastone: Well, we'll see how things go... And the last part? *looks at the distance with fleeting gaze* well, who knows what will happen?

Corsad: NP.

Chuck: Simplifying it, yeah, his story is like that.

Mr. Tanaka: I... don't think I can do well. Sticking too much to canon isn't my thing and I may get several things mistaken. Maybe later.

Bang: Hm... rather than died, she was more or less isolated in an alternate realm with Achilles apologizing profusely as he held her in his arms. Unfortunately, she's already far gone so it's no use for the hero to even do anything about it.

CCC: But Ophis has no interest other than defeating Great Red...

Sky Magician: Uh-huh, that's an interesting idea.

j: For sure, right? *grins wickedly*

Student (part-b): ...what the heck is this? Don't worry though, I'm still alive and kicking but got something to hinder me.


	12. Chapter 11 - Catching up

**Update 12/9/2016:** Edited circumstances of Servants.

* * *

There were so many things that needed to be dealt with.

For the time being, I asked Rider for help. Since I knew nothing in altering memories of people, much less hypnotizing them without giving heavy drawbacks, I wished one of the Student Council members could accept my request.

"Admittedly, this will cause myself to be indebted even more..." I exasperated in resignation. "I just hope Sitri-san wouldn't take the chance to know the truth."

 _"Oy, what are you blabbering about?"_ A certain blonde yelled from the dining room. "If you still treasure your head, get over here and present me the welcoming feast!"

I sighed once again. Even with all the fortune that I have, the kitchen was partially ruined and some goods were no longer salvageable. I didn't doubt the Knight of Treachery becoming displeased by what I could serve her with at this point but I liked my head where it was placed at now, thank you very much.

"Please wait a little longer, Saber. If you truly wish to eat a feast, proper preparation for it is a given." I told my newest Servant with slightly increased volume so that my voice could be heard clearer.

The response I heard was a click of tongue, but there was nothing that indicated a second rampage. It was safe to say that Saber had agreed to my terms even if begrudgingly. I suppose this allowed me to breathe a little easier, though it would have gotten worse if I slipped up and called her by her True Name.

Now that I think about it, should I still call her 'Saber' or 'Saber'? There was her 'father' who held the name 'Saber Alter' so... Maybe 'Saber' is fine if I called the King of Knights as 'Alter'.

 _"...Sieg... kun?"_ And then a familiar voice entered my ears.

I turned my attention from the sizzling slice of meat in the frying pan to the left, finding a certain exorcist poking her head into the kitchen from the backdoor. That path was where I usually took the bundle of cooking waste out once it piled up, but considering a Servant with infamous temper was in the dining room, the backdoor instantly became the safest alternative to enter the kitchen.

"Ah... Jeanne." I called out before bowing my head a few degrees. "I'm sorry for causing a ruckus earlier. Are you okay?"

"Eh... I guess? But why are you..." She stared at the frying pan. "Why are you suddenly cooking?"

Well... I wasn't sure if I could answer that question. I knew that instead of preparing a feast, I should have called for some help and reported the mansion's state to legal authority. The police would certainly investigate this incident and would inquiry me but I couldn't hope to ignore Saber lest my head be served on a silver platter.

"It's fine," I told her, "Rider already went off to call for help."

"Help... The Devils? Are you sure that's okay for you?" Jeanne asked again, this time clearly showing worries.

Her concern was understandable, albeit very sharp. She was an Exorcist, an agent of the Church. To oppose Devils who were recognized as the embodiment of sins was something as natural as breathing air for her. In such a way, my way of dealing with this incident might look like I was selling my soul to them but...

"It's far better than revealing the real cause to the world." I muttered as I flipped the meat in the frying pan. "The existence of magic and the supernatural side is not something that should be disclosed so carelessly."

At least not when there was no consent given from each party involved in it. Also, there would be extreme reactions if the people who never recognized the presence of the supernatural discovered the truth. Global chaos is the last thing I needed in my life, and it would make another point proven for the Fake Priest to achieve his dream.

"...you've thought this through." Jeanne whispered in acknowledgement.

Even so, I knew there was heavy reluctance in her voice. I understood that a loyal believer of the Church, especially a hunter of heretics and abomination would be against of dealing with the Devil.

Is she lamenting my choice? Is she disappointed by my method to solve this problem? But that's fine either way.

I shrugged as a thin smile crept on my face, "It's the least I can do-"

 _"Oy! Stop dawdling and ready my feast, dammit!"_

...Hufft. Right, I still have to appease that annoying Servant. Honestly, I wished Command Spells could work on her but I doubted their effectiveness on a pseudo-Berserker Saber. From the information Sisigou Kairi traded with to my personal observation, it was clear that the Knight of Treachery could not be measured as a standard Servant. In such a way, the usual methods to deal with Servants were rendered useless when applied on her.

Truly, this person is a pain in the ass.

* * *

And so, the feast began while the evening arrived.

Though there was no need to explain it, almost all of it went straight for Saber. It also meant I was seated without anything except tea to comfort my stomach.

"Ah? You don't eat or something?" Saber asked from across the table.

I shook my head lightly, "I no longer require food to satiate my hunger."

"Hmm... How boring," The Servant hummed, "I'm not gonna give you anything even if you asked then."

So she said. I chose not to retort since it would only cause unnecessary altercation, which would also drain my prana even further. Even though I tried to be watchful over the summoning ritual, it turned out the prana required to power it was as large as summoning Rider. But strangely, when Saber used her Prana Burst, she didn't absorb mine to use it. Not even an iota...

Now that I think about it, Rider's Hipogriff was a Noble Phantasm yet it didn't drain mine. The consumption was all directed to open up a gap in two dimensions and distorting them enough to forcibly create a connecting tunnel for Rider to pass through. The entire process did not include fueling his mount summoning... Why?

"What was that earlier?" Saber asked.

I blinked in confusion, "What do you mean?"

"Don't play dumb," She snorted haughtily with a fork raised and pointed toward me, "Who was that lookalike? She creeps me out."

Huh... So she noticed her. I didn't expect Saber of all people to especially care about the presences of other people who couldn't match her strength, but since I wasn't sure if she would take her kindly, I had explicitly told the Exorcist to stay in her room for the rest of the day.

After all, no matter how strong and reputed of an Exorcist she claimed to be, she is not a Heroic Spirit or even a Magician.

"Well, she is this world's Jeanne. Or you could say... Someone who possesses similar Origin." I explained. "I guess she's like Laeticia in that sense. An ordinary person with so much similarity she is able to be a vessel of a Heroic Spirit."

The former Saber of Red nodded simply with a short 'I see'. However, she seemed to have lost interests right away. She probably just wanted to satiate her curiosity if not to erase any doubtful factor during her stay as a Servant. Still, it didn't stop me from feeling a bit annoyed that she dismissed Jeanne's presence like that.

No matter what and who she is, that girl isn't a nobody. She's a person with a heart, a life to live through, a future to anticipate, and a dream to fulfill. _She's_ _a human_ , not a pawn or an impostor.

"So what the hell was that?" Saber once again asked.

I raised my head only to watch her tearing in fried chicken leg and chewing it noisily. Others, especially Heroic Spirits with noble heritage would have frowned at such gruff antics but I was already used to some degree of madness the World had in store.

Indeed, this isn't something new. And I knew what she meant.

"It is precisely like what I just said." I replied as I sipped my tea. "The opponent is a Saber with peerless swordsmanship. Capable of wielding a broadsword expertly despite her slender frame, using a style of Prana Burst no different than yours, and holding a holy sword too beautiful that such word will just taint it. Also, she looks a lot like you."

I didn't miss how Saber's gaze narrowed the more I mentioned our enemy's traits. I thought it was because that black knight possessed strength rivaling the Knight of Treachery, but my doubt turned into certainty the moment I mentioned her skill, weapon-of-choice, and finally her appearance.

"Too beautiful that the word itself doesn't fit for it huh?" Saber curved up a savage smirk. "Yeah, that's the right thing to describe Excalibur alright. Fine, this me will take up your words as the truth."

Ah... Looks like I have avoided the pitfall in building a common ground. And yet, I couldn't help thinking there will be more problems piling up in the near future...

"That doesn't mean you're off the hook yet, dimwit. _You broke it._ "

...huh?

"Excuse me?" I asked dumbly, unable to process the sudden accusation.

Saber responded to my question by snorting, "You. Broke. That. Sword. Go take responsibility for your insolence."

...

"...take... responsibility?" I parroted, no longer capable of catching up with the flow of the conversation.

But like always, the Knight of Treachery just nudged, "Well, whatever. 'Father' is probably seething in rage. Ah, I sure want to rub this in 'his' face now. 'His' reign felled, 'his' subjects slaughtered and now 'his' sword is poorly reforged by incompetent fools... Ha!"

The girl cackled audaciously, yet I couldn't comprehend it. How can I?

Saber... Mordred, she was full of contradictions. Never hesitating to do anything to win, inviting herself to a dinner when nobody asked for her presence, talking with her enemy she had let go off, and lecturing a survivor of her onslaught even though she spared no one when victory was assured. Her temper was also very foul and she hated her legend, which also meant she despised everything related to her original life.

Then suddenly, when I told her that another Saber, _the_ King of Knights was our opponent, she simply smiled like a child receiving her favorite toy. Joyful. Bright. But also cruel as she spun out insults and promises of death directed solely to her. It's just... _strange._

"Saber, are you... looking forward to it?" I reflexively asked.

The girl raised an eyebrow but she smirked as if she knew what I tried to imply.

"This is perfect, Homunculus... 'Father' is summoned as a fellow Saber so 'he' is at 'his' strongest right now. Just like before, the Battle of Camlann is going to repeat itself... blood and fire will rain down, _and I can now slay 'him' without being tied by my mother's machination!_ " Saber answered.

Her eyes radiant with pure lust for battle. The light within those emerald jewels was frightening, maddening as it caused shivers to run down my spine. Had I not faced her in battle and witnessed her behaviors, I would have told her she was far too obsessed, and perhaps growing mad.

...I wonder why? Why is there no contempt in those words? Even though there was hatred so distinctive, so abundant it bordered insanity, there was no malice in her speech. How come? Why is she so happy even though she is going to face her parent in a death battle?

"I see..." To such joyful Saber, I could only say those two words as a reply.

I didn't understand her. I couldn't understand her. Even now, I still could not understand the individual called as the Knight of Treachery.

"But Saber... Things have changed." I told her.

"What do you mean?" She asked, looking annoyed as if her fun was ruined.

I breathed out, feeling the heat slowly choking my neck that I loosened the collars of my shirts. It wasn't exactly because of gaining this difficult Servant's undivided attention alone, but it too wasn't because I was afraid. I had been thrust in dangerous situations more often than not in my long life, so I was already used to intimidation to a degree.

No, it wasn't because of anything that could bring ire to Saber, but... maybe a bit? It's not like I have any desire in being stabbed or slashed by a silver sword renowned as an equal, if not stronger than the Last Phantasm.

At any rate, divulging the truth now is better than abandoning an ally to her fate while being ignorant of it.

"It's related to our adversary, and our current situation."

It's just... I hope she can take it well. Saber is different than Rider, especially about intelligence.

* * *

It was past midnight.

The moon shone once the clouds dispersed, and cold breezes glided into the ruined mansion. Even so, the people I have expected to be here had arrived at last.

"Whoa... This is really something to see," Saji Genshirou commented in a daze before turning towards me, "How did this all happen anyway? Did the enemy attacked this place?"

I shook my head, "It was...another summoning ritual going outside my expectations?"

Tsubasa Yura gave a deadpan stare after she heard my answer. Even the rest of the Kuoh Academy's Student Council members - save for Sitri-san and Shinra who chose to not come along for reasons unknown to me - were befuddled in disapproval.

"Sieg-kun..." Tomoe Meguri rubbed her temple in vexation. "Why are you so insistent on summoning a familiar if it was going to result like this?"

Despite the implication of myself being inexperienced, if not completely inept in using Magecraft other than material alteration, the reddish-brown-haired girl showed clear signs of worry be it in her voice or in her face. Even though she was a Devil who had given up her own humanity at some point, she displayed strong affections to those she were acquainted if not befriended with.

I smiled to reassure her, "Even if things could go wrong, it still doesn't mean the efforts I have committed are worthless. I... No, we need all the help we can have to fight our present enemy too."

"Are you sure...? But aren't you pushing yourself too far?" Meguri pursed her lips.

"Well," I shrugged, "I just don't want to lose any more friends."

And suddenly something seemed to have set off like a chain reaction. Sitri-san's Peerage all gazed on me very hard that I felt incredibly unnerved right now.

...Did I say something out of my line again? Have I just blurted out another thing I wanted to keep as eternal secret to this world?

"Meh! You're being a worrywart again, Sieg!" A boisterous exclamation echoed. The one entering my sight was Rider still in his chainmail. "We're going to win again, you know? You've already got two Servants in your side anyway so victory is already assured!"

That's...

"Isn't that being a little too optimistic? Rider, there's nothing that can guarantee us from surviving this ordeal." I told him bluntly.

"Not like you intend to flop down and concede defeat like a coward would," Rider countered, putting a hand on his waist, "Besides, Mordred is going to kill you if you do that. Or rather, our heads will roll like balls."

...you didn't have to make a point by sliding your thumb across the air in front of your neck, you know? It made me even more worried since that one is the wildest Servant I knew after you, and you already have the skill that disallowed you to keep secrets no matter how small they are.

Is it just my luck to have a nonstandard Servant? Or is this yet again another curse Fafnir had thrown on his Slayer?

"Speaking of which, where's that hothead? I'm pretty sure she's still fuming last time I checked." Rider glanced around.

Yes. She did just that occasionally during the retelling of my life in this world... It was quite fortunate she still had her feast but even that didn't last when I retold my experience over my encounter against her 'father'.

"She yelled on me for getting the blood up my head and insulted me with various insulting remarks..." I scratched the back of my head before rubbing down my neck.

"Duh! Of course she did, you idiot Master! You _were_ stupid for charging against a Saber of all Servants out there!" Rider jeered, further throwing salts on the injury.

Guh... Even so, I didn't want to see someone who looked precisely like Ruler be hurt... Not only because she didn't deserve it, her presence also reminded me the lessons I have learned during the Great Grail War.

To abandon someone to their fate when I have the power to help is simply something I cannot do. I don't think I can forgive myself the moment I chose to discard them just because either...

"Ah well. Her Highness is summoned anyway so I'm going to pay my respect!" Rider walked past me.

I immediately turned around and grasped his shoulder, "Saber decided to retire for tonight. She exhausted quite an incredible amount of prana. Also..."

Rider made a puzzled expression. It was hard to maintain facade before him, unfortunately, but there were other people such as Sitri-san's entourage around us. I would like to at least prevent another mishap from occurring tonight, so...

"Rider. We need to talk. _Just the two of us in my room._ "

"What?"

Silence ensued. Even though I was used to such an abrupt tranquility, this one was slightly different. How should I say...? It was suffocating? But why?

"Oh my! Master, I'm not ready for this yet...! My heart isn't prepared at all!" Rider screamed out, his cheeks fervent red and he wiggled around like a restless child.

...uh...? What are you saying, Rider...? I wasn't intending on making up jokes though...?

"Holy shit-ouch! This guy's timing is monstrous!" Genshirou yelled behind me.

"Oho...!" Yura smirked before putting two fingers under her lips . "So he tried to smooth the road by bringing that kind of topic first... Saji-kun, President was right. You should learn one or two things from Sieg-kun here."

"No way no way! It's definitely impossible!" The blond shook his head profusely.

"Err... I don't think we should focus on that though...?" Reya Kusaka raised a hand before looking on my direction. "Rider-chan, did you just call someone who's not here 'Mordred'...?"

" "Ah." "

Rider and I let out such sound in unison, followed in the same manner by the rest of the Student Council members. With wide eyes, we stared at the most knowledgeable person among the Student Council after the King and the Queen. Even though her wisdom mostly came from common literature, she delved quite seriously in exploring various myths due to her hobby.

But, since she was a Devil, and that she knew of mythical lore such as the Volsunga Saga...

"I suppose it should be expected of her to know of the Arthurian Legend..." I placed a hand on my forehead, sighing remorsefully about my latest mistake. "I'm sorry. The person we talked about is, yes, someone with such name. Also yes, she is my ally right now. Are you going to report this to your King then?"

"Well..." The Bishop scratched her cheek, "It _is_ Kaichou-san we are talking about after all. Also, I was selected to report this event back in place of Fukukaichou. I'm sorry, Sieg-kun."

...haa. It truly can't be helped then.

I shook my head, "It's fine. At this point, even keeping it a secret will change nothing. But... If you can, please don't spread this information as much as you can."

Among the Student Council, the one who had enough curiosity to ask was Genshirou alone.

The Pawn tilted his head, "Why is that?"

"Because..." I paused, wondering what was the appropriate way to explain it.

Considering the pros and cons, I realized that there was nothing that could make a decent reason to keep this a secret. In fact, a question just floated up in my head, which was about the presence of the Knight of Treachery as well as her possible influence in this world.

A Servant who possessed a solid vessel would live even if the Holy Grail were destroyed. In such a way, Saber had no choice but to live another life until the end, with the alternative of being felled in battle or vanishing from the world in a similar way to what I did. I had no interest in stabbing her in the back and who was I to even deny her right to live freely?

But exactly because of that... As long as she is still alive in her current state, she could influence the world no matter what I do about it.

Whether it is in the near or in the distant future, her identity would without a doubt be revealed to the entirety of the Moonlit World. A Heroic Spirit capable of leveling an entire army with one strike, who is also the bastard child of the famed King Arthur Pendragon... Depending on her choices, the power balance in the Moonlit World would change. It could crumble, it could turn extremely unbalanced, or maybe nothing would change at all though I doubt such thing will happen so conveniently. We're talking about Saber after all.

In the end... All I could use to reply to Genshirou's question was just a long, exhausted sigh.

"...I can only hope she will not feel offended that the Devils know her true identity. She's a very willful person." I murmured mostly to myself.

Rider quipped, "You forgot the 'extremely' word, Sieg. Also, 'pain in the ass' is better suited to describe her."

Yes... You are right, Rider, but maybe you shouldn't have said that out loud. Who knows if she was listening to this conversation?

"...err... Is she that violent?" Kusaka asked again. "Hold on. This 'Mordred' is a girl?"

If I was feeling very exhausted earlier, I no longer was right now as I whipped a tense glare at the bibliophile. Swiftly. Immediately. Very, _very_ fearfully suspicious if that pseudo-Berserker's golden antenna was sticking out from the shadows nearby or not.

Confirming there was nothing like that, I approached Kusaka and grabbed her shoulders tightly.

" _Do not. Call her 'a girl'._ " I stated urgently. "Unless you don't value your life, that is."

The Bishop was taken aback just like the remaining Student Council members, but because of my clear words and perhaps reaction, they all nodded even though they were confused. Particularly Kusaka whose cheeks reddened and answered yes sheepishly.

Letting go of her, I retreated back and stood near... Hm? Why are you glaring at me, Rider?

"Oookay..." Genshirou looked around nervously, probably feeling the silence was long overdue. "So... Now that the chat is done. What are we supposed to do again here?"

"Now that is simple, blondie number two!" Rider hopped forward.

Ignoring the boy who entered a state of stuttering mess in the face of the Twelfth Paladin of Charlemagne, my first Servant raised his arm and pointed to his back. Everyone's gaze followed his direction and we all stared at the badly wrecked mansion.

"Two of us here are pretty useless in using Magecraft and Sieg doesn't like expanding his skill set so... can ya fix this place up?"

Before he finished, however, a silver-haired girl who stood quite close to Genshirou gasped.

Momo Hanakai protested, "Hold on! Were we called here just to repair the mansion and alter the memories of anyone who's still awake in the vicinity yet probably already left the area hours ago!?"

...well... I guess? Is that impossible to do?

* * *

The darkness covering the sky lightened, paled, replaced by clear blue color.

Beginning from the east, daybreak emerged alongside whitening clouds near the horizon. Stars faded away but it wasn't like they vanished, they simply retreated just like the night did. A cool breeze knocked on the windows, and I turned my head, finding the clear morning sky through the gaps of the curtains.

"...It's morning huh...?" I slowly sat up in my bed, rubbing my still drowsy eyes. "In the end, I didn't get enough sleep."

It was mostly due to monitoring the Devils' progress in dealing with the aftermath of my altercation with Saber, informing the Devils about the tea-party, what Kokabiel's plan was, as well as discussing important subjects with Rider in regards to my latest information gathering. It was quite exhausting for my mind.

"Honestly... In the Reverse Side of the World, using strategy is as rare as the number of Beasts smarter than humans." Murmuring, I then walked towards the wardrobe.

Hmm... While I wasn't one to particularly mind the views of others over my appearance, flashy colors always distracted my eyes. In some ways, I might have developed an aversion to them so it was hard to find a suitable set of clothes. Most of these were selected by Rider after all...

"Urrah!" Suddenly, the door to my room flew off and smashed into the wall across the room.

Swiftly turning around, there I found a single leg outstretched as if yelling 'I kicked your door since it blocked my way!'. But then, the rest of the body parts entered the room and I blinked in surprise. There was one Saber in red glancing around, absorbing the interior before she set her eyes on me.

"Ah, so you're here." She said. "Huh, what are you doing exposing that scrawny top around? You an exhibitionist or something?"

...while it was true that I was half-naked at the moment, I would have liked to point those words back at her very much. Is that underwear, sleeves and cloths wrapped together into a skirts? But now that I think about it, I rarely saw Saber with her armors yet not wearing the clothes she obtained from her previous Master. Judging from the medieval looking red uniform she was wearing, it might be the ones worn under her armors.

Still, from my viewpoint, it almost looked no different than that tube top and short shorts. Still exposing too much skin, I think.

"Whatever. This is the perfect opportunity so get out." Saber pointed with her thumb directed behind her, just above her shoulder.

...I... Couldn't help but tilting my head, "Why? What do you mean?"

The grin the Knight of Treachery had was anything but comforting to me.

"I'm giving you the honor to be my sparring partner so get your ass out and fight me!"

* * *

Saji Genshirou woke up when deafening roar and tremors finally pushed his languid body off the sofa. After getting his face up from the floor which was covered with expensive authentic carpet, he looked around like an angry bull who had rammed it's head to the wall.

Truthfully, he really looked like one.

"Ow, dammit! My nose..." He rubbed his reddened face, particularly the hurting bridge of his nose. "What the heck... Where am I?"

He was situated in a large room with hellishly expensive furniture. The amount of wealth spent for the interior simply heightened his wariness but soon memories came back to him and he groaned in realization. More like exhaustion though.

"Oh, right. The repair took a lot of time so everyone chose to lodge in for the night," Saji stood up, "But why am I in the sofa? I thought I passed out in the floor after getting in my room..."

When he looked behind, however, the sole male member of the Student Council almost _screamed._

"Wh-what the hell!?" Saji yelled before slapping a hand to shut his damn mouth.

But the damage was done, little it might have been. The entangled, pristine white appendages no different than those of the most magnificent sculptures rustled in the bed were accompanied by tiny groans which sounded like moans of angels to Saji's ears. His eyes rolled upward and captured two slender frames in nothing else other than shirts and underwears. One being a petite brown-haired girl who was his underclassman, Ruruko Nimura, and the other being a white-haired girl who was in the same year as him, Momo Hanakai.

The two were sleeping in the bed while facing each other, their quiet breathes capable of soothing the heart of anyone nearby though hearing them just accelerated the blood in Saji's body. He gaped for a while like a deer caught in a headlight but soon looked down and gasped in horror.

 _Fuck! What the hell did I do to even deserve this!? No, wait! My love is only for Kaichou alone...!_

Alas, Saji was a boy in puberty. He might not admit it but he was no different than Issei when it came to the opposite sex. Therefore, it was a kind of bad luck - as much as he regretted calling this event that - for he had fallen in love with his King even way before he joined the Student Council. To veer away from someone's seduction was a must, no matter how tempting the offer was.

 _But why are these two sleeping in my room? How did this happen? Or rather, how come they could sleep so defenselessly like this!?_

Saji's brain came to a grinding halt when he came to a conclusion that the two were not even seeing him as a boy at the peak of puberty. He recalled that Peerage system could work in a familial way which meant, by extension, he held the position of being a sibling with the rest of the Student Council. Of course he excepted Sona. She was his King, his stoic upperclassman, his President, his superior, and his dearly beloved _crush._

 _Ah... Wait, does that mean I'm not even considered as a male schoolmate to these two...? How disappointing-_

 _"Hah! Your moves are all sloppy like always, Faker!"_ A boisterous laughter rang out from the windows.

It was so sudden that Saji reacted like a cat would, hopping back with tense shoulders. He blinked before frowning. _What was that..._

 _"Don't get ahead of yourself!"_ Another voice echoed, one that was strangely relatable since it sounded so frustrated.

 _"Bring it!"_ The first voice replied back, haughtiness withstanding.

And then there were startling sounds of metals clashing together. Even the glass of the windows trembled when a tiny wave of tremors passed by under Saji's feet. He also noticed that the furniture in the room all trembled a bit so the source of the tremors must have been quite powerful. The only strange thing would be how his schoolmates on the bed were still fast asleep.

Nevertheless, Saji walked to the windows, the swelling curiosity getting the better of him about what might have happened outside.

What he will see is something else, indeed.

* * *

It all began with no warning at all.

First came the opening strike. It was decisive, powerful, and for all intents and purposes... loaded with the desire to attain victory even by killing the opponent. I _barely_ dodged it but the winds produced simply pushed me back like an invisible, moving wall. I had to claw the earth just to not be swept off but due to that, the Knight of Treachery infiltrated my range and slashed again.

This time, I chose to block it. The magically materialized great sword vibrated, two different blades growling noisily while my body trembled from the sheer strength transferred through physical contact. In humanoid form like this, the effects of physics affected me much more than I wanted...

"Not bad..." Saber commented. "Now how about this?!"

She jumped back, held the silver sword with both hands, and adjusted her stance as if she was going to run while dragging the sword tip across the land. No, she stabbed the blade down into the ground. That's...

"HAA!" The girl suddenly yelled, red aura burst out from her entire body as she swung Clarent vertically upward.

It resulted in me being peppered with chunks of earth, rocks, dirt, _and_ clouds of _dirt._

"Tch..."

I left the clouds of dirt hastily, cutting a corner and charged towards my opponent... who was no longer in the same position. _The spot was empty but with traces as if something monstrously heavy had hammered down on it._ Quickly spinning around, I stabbed the great sword into the ground which received an attack from the freshly covered crack in my defense.

Orange petals scattered, yet I was driven back by sliding. A roar was heard. I braced myself by pulling the great sword. A wide slash came from below to the sky. I jumped back and avoided it but the silver sword suddenly stopped, only to lash down like a flash of lightning which forced me to parry it by sheer instinct and willpower. Once, twice, _thrice._

To be honest, it was like a fierce storm. The Knight of Treachery pressured me with various methods from straight execution of swordsmanship to underhanded tricks like sending up dirt to the face. I was even kicked at the abdomen when the swords were locked together. However...

I am no longer a Homunculus.

Just by willing it, I could enhance my physical capability by multiple folds. Spells too could work in the same manner but I realized this method took less time at the cost of increased prana consumption; probably had relation to my dragonic traits. I too was still paying attentions about breathing in the natural prana in the atmosphere.

"Hmph. Despite your clear distaste over magic, that replica hasn't broke apart." Saber remarked before rushing forward again, perhaps in hope of catching me off-guard.

I foiled her attempt by responding simply yet efficiently. With swords grinding against each other, we were in a particularly close proximity and Saber wasn't wearing her armors. I noted her almost petite feature, her short height and her slender limbs that looked impossible to wield a broadsword like Clarent. Her hair... huh, did it smell _this_ pleasant before?

No, wait. What am I thinking anyway? This isn't the time for that.

"I reinforced it." Suppressing my idle thought, I informed her. "It seems the more thorough I analyzed a structure, the more I could enhance it at cellular level."

"Cellular level?" Saber blinked before twisting in a scowl. "What a pain in the ass. So perfect with the details like someone."

Oh? I was pushed back at once and Saber struck with heavier attacks. I didn't expect thi-

"Raaah!" Saber yelled as she swung a wide slash, throwing me off the sky.

It wasn't high and it wasn't low either. It felt like I was hovering but moving, sliding _in midair_. When gravity pulled me down, I immediately recovered my stance and once I planted my feet on the ground... another silver flash streaked horizontally in my peripheral sight.

I tried to block it when Clarent suddenly halted right before the two swords clashed, the abrupt stop delivered fierce winds against my entire body. My eyes widened before getting blinded by the dirt carried by the winds as the silver sword flitted, pulled back and snaked from below to disarm me. The great sword spun above, taking a long arc while my arms were left above my head due to the simple trick that factored in the target's reliance on the weight of their weapon...

And for the second time, I was sent flying to the sky by a strong hook from under the chin.

* * *

"So when not in that form, you're not even cutout to be a decent opponent." Saber complained, her ornate sword leaning over her shoulder.

I was obviously sprawled on the ground, gazing at the blue expanse. After my descent to the ground, Saber had already stabbed Clarent next to my head with murderous grin that I almost believed she would lop my head off at any moment. It prompted me to yield like a loser I was.

Of course, it didn't mean I was content with her winning against me. Again.

"You do realize my prana hasn't recovered fully yet." I pointed out.

"Bah. Excuses." Saber snorted.

I'd have liked to add that I couldn't go all out in this form no matter what. If I were to revert some parts of my body to that of a Dragon, I might have been able to even out the balance. After all, Phantasmal Beasts such as I could kill heroes so if I did partially transformed, I could wound Saber for certain.

Unfortunately or fortunately, this wasn't a real battle. I also couldn't afford to risk the lives of my friends who are resting in the mansion just because I didn't want to lose against Saber of all people. Hm... Thinking about this all, my nature as an Extension of the World truly forced me to be aware of the surroundings everytime...

"Fine..." I rolled my eyes. "Next time, I'll try harder."

"You wouldn't have next time if that was a real battle." Saber chided.

I winced slightly. "I'm not going to live 'that' down, aren't I?"

Even though I knew it was pointless to state it out, Saber was smirking like a haughty king-to-be she was.

"Damn straight you aren't. How does it feel to make mistakes when you fear for your life?" She asked.

...I slowly raised my upper body and sat cross-legged, "...I admit... it's hard to adjust myself with my current situation. I've rarely thought about the importance of my existence until the eve of the final battle."

It was difficult, in fact. Before, I always thought that even though I existed, it didn't mean I was 'alive'. This life I held was something lent to me, something I borrowed at the expense of a another person's sacrifice. Thus, even the concept of 'risking one's life' was something I could deny wholeheartedly, for I didn't have the thing I could call as 'my own life'.

But now...? Now I believed that despite this life was something I obtained through the sacrifice of someone else, it didn't mean it held no value at all. Life, no matter how fragile it could be, was something precious. Something that held importance be it to oneself or to others, even if it was borrowed.

However, it still didn't mean I have fully accepted it.

"I don't know..." I breathed out tiredly. "I... I'm not so sure if it is the correct choice. Because I am an 'aberration'."

I heard a scoff. I turned to stare at Saber, finding her knitting her eyebrows into deep frowns. While her eyes were closed, her scowling lips proved her mood was dour and that she had little patience left. But she wasn't directing her tempers blindly unlike before...

 _"So what? If that's the case, then you're no different than me."_

That surprised me. I knew what kind of person the Saber of Red was. Holding her head high, she declared that she was a knight who had surpassed her 'father', and that she was the rightful, better king for the great Britain. Always short-tempered, arrogant to those she deemed below her and was an utter battle maniac.

In fact, she hated my guts very much. I was defeated in battle by her and yet I still lived even though I received the full brunt of her Noble Phantasm. For her, it was the largest humiliation she ever received since she thought the victor of a battle was the one who survived, and the defeated was as good as dead livestock. Ah, wait, she never even considered humans as anything beyond pests or locusts.

But it was all the more reason for me to be surprised. To even recognize my existence as no different than hers was... was... How should I say it? Incredibly baffling... I think?

"What?" Saber asked, and grunted in realization after looking at my expression. "You want to die very much, you bastard?"

...ah. Still the same foul-tempered, arrogant knight.

"No thank you." I immediately waved a hand to give further emphasis. "I simply never thought you'd say such thing."

 _Aah,_ she retorted in annoyance. The air surrounding her seemed to heat up and I was aware I might have pulled the wrong string. At this point, even taking back my words and apologizing was not a favorable choice since the moment I committed another mistake, the pseudo-Berserker would cut me down in halves.

However... "I'm sorry."

I bowed down my head. In the next moment, the murderous intent directed on me vanished and I raised my head back up to meet blank, confused emerald gaze.

"I knew that what I have done so far will not be pardoned. You deserved your rest yet I interrupted it and forced you to help solving a problem that may not benefit you at all. I even altered your existence without your permission..." I paused. "I'm sorr-"

 _"Shut up!"_

A leg descended as if it was trying to crack open my skull. I stopped it by crossing my arms right above my head, the blow alone enough to sink my body a little into the ground but I resisted, and let the area surrounding me to take the beating. When the collateral damage - which was freshly cracked depression - stopped spreading, however, the leg shifted and Saber's heeled shoe dug into my forearm.

"You talk too much," The Saber said, "And we're already done with this topic!"

I raised my brows in further surprise, but the knight continued on.

"Listen up, you stupid Master. You were lucky you could screw up the scheme of that Crook. If your heart wasn't a transplant from that kind of Heroic Spirit, you would have joined along as a static nobody that cannot even feel pleased for eating delicious grubs!"

...huh? Grubs... As in, food? Why using that as an example-

"Also, who cares if I have _solid container that can age and die like human!_ " Saber yelled out, digging her heel even deeper into my arm.

I winced at the wave of pain, and cringed at the loud revelation she screamed out to the world.

"Saber..." I called out in a pleading tone, yet there was a sign of frustrated growl mixed in it. "That's a vital information."

It was the core issue we have been trying to wrap our minds around with. Considering the source of information came from another nonstandard Servant who is also our upcoming enemy, of course any information provided freely should be doubted in authenticity and accuracy. And yet, I was tempted to know more only to regret it afterward.

Just like Saber said, her container was solid, human-like in so many aspects that there was almost no difference with normal human body. Yet when I focused on reading her parameters, the status showed up although with vast difference from before. Ignoring the obscurity around the statistics, her skill descriptions possessed significant changes such as removal of territorial fame that could have elevated her basic strength. Even the magical pathway between us was so small only a minuscule could be transferred despite Saber and Rider possessing their own prana reserves which regenerated slower than snail pace.

...what other conclusion can I pull other than the summoned Servants being isolated from the Throne of Heroes' reach? Because this universe does not possess collective wills capable of forming defensive mechanism such as the Heroic Spirits? But if that is not it, just how could Saber still be summoned by a holy sword that was not related to her legend-

"Like. I. Give. A. Damn! Hell if I care!" Saber lashed back once again.

...This hard-headed, arrogant savant... Only you would say such thing so openly without remorse whatsoever.

"You were summoned here _in a human-like vessel_ rather than normal familiar, retained your memories of the Great Grail War using a catalyst that resembles _a normal chess piece_ of all things possible, and _without the advantages the Throne of Heroes could give to_ _Servants_. Can't you imagine this implication?" I questioned her.

The Knight of Treachery simply scoffed, "Of course I know that. I understand myself more than you acknowledging your obviously idiotic self-esteem issue."

...couldn't you pick another derogatory term...? Or rather, you're being incredibly irritated but knowing her personality, her change of nature, and the fact our enemy is the King of Knights at her prime...

It feels as if fate is toying with us. Not to mention there was 'that thing' Kokabiel told me as a parting gift...

"Oy, you dumbass of a Master. You listening or what?" Saber's question snapped my mind back to reality and I inclined my head.

"...I..." Pausing, I wondered what I should say next.

The former Saber of Red snorted and retracted her foot, standing proudly also haughtily like she always did. Even so, I noticed Clarent had vanished from her grasp though this time she put a hand on her waist as if to drive another point in.

"Whatever problem I've been wrapped in right now doesn't matter. I have my own goal and you have your own to pursue. But you and I - we were born as tools, destined to live far shorter than humans, and created just to fulfill the sick obsessions of our creators."

...that's... I see. Perhaps she's right if one were to see it in that perspective...

"But like hell am I going to die a dog's death!" Saber stated out loud. "If I couldn't live like them, then I will just burn through my life and use it so thoroughly that it would make even the shortest-lived be jealous of me! I'm going to overrule their achievements, topple their confidence with my greatness and die laughing at their smallness!"

 _And I swear to do all that,_ the Knight of Treachery finished, grunting as she crossed her arms under her chest.

Despite her overbearing words and arrogance, I couldn't help but be captivated. I had never thought she had lived with such principle all this time, even after her ascension into a Heroic Spirit. I knew that not even her 'father' was perfect in every sense when knowing how their legend ended, but to hear how Saber lived her life was...

"...You've changed a bit." I noted, smiling wryly.

"Blame my previous Master for that. Also, you think you have the right to say that?" Saber remarked.

"I don't think I've done anything that benefited you," I shrugged noncommittally, "Even if I did, I never intended to. You're far too wild of a Servant to handle by myself, anyway."

"Bastard..." The girl growled yet smirking, amused.

The wind blew on us. Leaves scattered in the air, and pleasant sounds of nature surrounding the mansion reached my ears. Added with the rising sun that signaled the slow passing from morning to afternoon, I closed my eyes and enjoyed the transient silence.

Yet again, it was a rare experience for me. To pass time like this with someone who once tried to kill me, insulted me for my nature and decisions, as well as haughtily proclaiming that I was her next target if that Fake Priest's faction were felled...

Indeed, how the two of us have changed ever since that War.

"Hm?" But suddenly the silence was interrupted, all done by me this time.

I reopened my eyes and noticed Saber having the same reaction. We both stared at the direction where the front gate was, feeling a presence that was obviously not normal. Just from the scent and presence alone, there was 'something' inherently different about it. Something that belonged neither to human or ordinary inhabitants of the Moonlit World. Even so, it was familiar.

...no, wait. This scent is somewhat different. Steel... Rust... Swords...? Demonic Swords? But there's also some holy scent which... Eh? Why did it smell faintly like Rider?

"But the former scent belongs to..." I stood up and patted the dirt off of my pants.

"You know it?" Saber asked as I went past her; she followed in suite.

I nodded in affirmation before sighing. "Yeah. It's my friend. With an acquaintance."

Saber raised an eyebrow in confusion.

"Then why are you sighing?" She asked.

She didn't mean harm, obviously. I knew she was just being blunt and let words rolling out her tongue by reflex. Such was the characteristic of the Knight who never tried to fight like a proper knight at all.

"...well..." I stalled, searching for the right words to reply. "Actually, Saber. Can you behave yourself in front of our guests, even if they are fugitives or nonhumans?"

* * *

 _He was brought up as an orphan, taught that as long as he believed in God, good things would happen. While undergoing harsh experiments that always scarred him be it physically or mentally, he prayed to God so that he could live for another day and become someone appropriate to wield the strongest holy sword one day. Like the legendary heroes who slayed evil. Like the wisest king of all knights that created a reign of peace no matter how transient it was.  
_

 _Life was hard for someone without parents like him, even more so as he was subjected to violent experiment, but he was surrounded with people he could call as friends. He could endure those experiments because they were there for him. He could withstand all the sufferings he was given with because he did it for his friends. The child was hurt everyday, yet he continued to pray for the day he could wield holy sword and be freed from this prison alongside with his friends. His family._

But the God did not listen to his plea.

 _One by one, children occupied a room that seemed to have no ventilation. They were all gathered in one place without explanation; only that the 'promised day' had arrived and they deserved the 'rewards' for all their efforts. The boy saw several faces displaying discomforts and he even found the sickly ones brought there as if without cares._

 _He looked up. Through the strands of blonde hair, his eyes captured one large pipe hanging on the ceiling. He observed with morbid interests as the pipe seemed as if... It brought forth ill omen._

 _"O little lambs without guidance, hear us. The time has come for you to receive your rightful rewards." And then someone said._

 _It was the voice of adult. Strange, the boy thought since no adult was present in the room. But he soon realized that perhaps there was a device that could convey words, such as speakers. Some children cheered up at the announcement though the blond could only feel his stomach churning in an unpleasant way._

What is-

 _"You have worked hard... Now you can rest in peace -_ defective products _."_

A living Hell greeted him.

 _It devoured everyone right in the next instance. As foul smokes flowed from the pipe, the boy's body shuddered without clear reasons. His eyes widened in terror when the first who inhaled the smokes suddenly fell to her knees and vomited blood from her eyes, nose and mouth. Within moments, a girl died and the smokes spread like beasts searching for their next preys._

 _Screams echoed. The children ran back to the doors they came from and they banged against the steel doors. They didn't budge so everyone scrambled to find another path to escape. The blonde boy was also one of them but his intellect finally told him why the room had no other ventilation, and that the only path leading to this place was only two steel doors._

 _It was a trap... No. They were herded together just to be killed off. Disposed as if their lives held no meaning at all._

"Amen." _The speaker once once again spoke, yet there was no regret not was there anything like an inkling of emotion._

 _Madness. It was madness. The boy couldn't believe this all yet in his disbelief, he realized his friends toppled one after another. He realized more and more children fell and stopped moving, dying with tears with beds made from their own blood._

"It... Hurts..." _Someone whispered._

 _The boy turned around. While a hand was covering the lower part of his face, his vision was blurring and throbbing pain came from every inches of his body. Yet he ran and approached a boy and a girl who he knew very well. They were still alive yet only barely._

 _"No...!" The boy screamed, only to choke in the poisonous gas._

 _His mind corroded, and he vomited blood. Even so, the boy saw the two remaining friends... Family he had, and hoisted them both in hope of finding safety or an exit._

"Save me... Save me..." _Someone pleaded behind the boy, but he could only grit his teeth in frustration._

Why is this happening? Why? Even though we believe in God. Even though we prayed and devoted ourselves to You.

 _After dragging his feet, the boy slid off his arm. He lied on the cold floor, his fate following after the unfortunate ones incapable of resisting the deadly smokes._

 _In shock, the blonde-haired boy hastily pushed forward and tried to at least bring the girl away with him. His feet sank in wet puddles of blood and he could see most of the children dying off. He almost stepped on one of the corpses and he could feel a lump rising through his throat._

 _He vomited blood when a whisper reached his ears, "...go..."_

 _He looked at the girl, afraid of the meaning of her word. He wanted to speak but his deteriorating health prevented him from mustering any strength. But the girl..._

"...go... Now..."

 _The doors slammed open. The boy saw people in suits entering and chants were heard. He understood those chants and it was then the nightmares worsened._

 _Tongues of flames burst forth from the palms of those people. Burning flames licked the corpses and burned the weakened survivors. At the same time, the girl he held left his grasp._

"Go..." _She pleaded before she vomited blood, and toppled with tears filling her vacant eyes._

 _The boy held his breaths. Words died in his mouth, and he immediately let his survival instincts taking over his body._

 _"Wh - gah!?" A man cried out as he was tackled by him._

 _The boy used the confusion to flee. He didn't know which way to go but he ran, and he heard angry shouts howling from behind him._

Ignore it. Ignore it. I have to go. I have to go. I have to go. I have to live.

 _When he left the accursed hellhole, snows were falling. He immediately ran into the darkness of the forest in hope that his pursuers would not be able to catch him. But as he ran, he remembered his friends._

Dead. Dead. They all died in vain. Why? Why is this happening?

 _As the darkness of night blinded him, his mind clouded over. All he saw was the images of his smiling friends abruptly changing with those from that Hell. All he could hear was the laughter and dreams his family carried, which were all stomped by the heartless clergymen in priest garbs._

I can't forgive them. I can't forgive them. How dare they. How could they...!

 _His skin had long paled from the cold. His blood was frozen, and his lungs hurt. Once in a while, he spat out blood which was followed by further weakening of his body. He vaguely understood he would not survive. The venom was invading his cells and failing his organs. Even breathing was so difficult as if he was drowning in the deep sea._ _It was a miracle that he could think and recall his past memories._

If only I knew beforehand. If only those people didn't exist. If only the holy swords never existed...!

 _His eyes did not see anything beyond darkness. He was all alone once again, burdened by the deaths of his comrades this time. That shackle prevented him to accept death. He couldn't give up here. he couldn't fall here. And he couldn't let it end like this._

 _"I'll kill them... I'll slaughter them all..." The boy whispered repeatedly. "I will... I will never forgive Excaliburs...!"_

 _Under the snows, basked in the moonlight, the boy named_ Isaiah _cursed those that robbed him of everything; His small figure vanishing into the shadows of the night..._

* * *

"Ugh... Agh..."

The boy rubbed his eyes, groaning as he woke up from his slumber. Sweats lined down his cheeks as he brushed his blonde hair, soon becoming aware of some... cloths wrapping his forehead. Bandages...?

"Wh... Huh...?" He mumbled. "Why am I... Where is this...?"

I closed the book I was reading. The gesture made the boy to snap his head and looked on my direction, but a certain former Nun exclaimed and drew his attentions all at once.

"Yuuto-san!"

"Huh? Wh-what? Asia...san?"

The girl beamed a relieved smile. However, the moment didn't last long as her head lulled and she fell back.

"Uwoh?! Asia!" Issei half-shouted while preventing his friend from falling to the ground.

His hands on her shoulders, he looked incredibly worried though Argento-san's smile remained and she slowly slept. It caused Issei to breath out in relief and smiled softly, as if he was the girl's older brother. Still, looks like she breached her limits by trying to heal two... no, three gravely injured people in less than a day.

"Hoh... Ain't that handy?" Saber commented while she stood on my left side.

I nodded, but Rider interjected before I could voice out my opinion. "This one is real feisty Nun! Even though she's a Devil, she still believes in the Lord, you know?"

"Like I care about that." Saber rolled her eyes. "Wait. She's a Devil. Aren't she going to disintegrate if she does that?"

I shrugged. "Well, it's not like our knowledge of the supernatural is applicable in this world. Besides, she wears Nun outfit in battle so it seems Devils won't turn to ash just because of wearing or voicing out holy prayers."

 _Is that so,_ Saber replied disinterestedly. Though I knew what was running on her mind. She must be thinking along the line of 'So I can go all-out, ask for instant healing, then go back to bludgeon my enemy over and over again.'

She's such a simpleton in that aspect, truly. Morbidly simple, but simple nonetheless.

Still... The Knight of Gremory seemed to be extremely confused. It was quite a normal reaction since there were the rest of his close friends, most of the Student Council, and us three occupying a bedroom larger than the Student Council office. But he seemed to catch on some clues as his sight slowly hovered back on me.

I smiled warmly. "Welcome to my humble abode, Kiba Yuuto. It seems we have so much to talk about."

* * *

 **-Author's Rambling (This One is Rehashed Version)-  
**

 _"Really now... Did I use the wrong words or are there wild assumptions?"_

It's not like I want to make the Servants be Pure Heroic Spirits. No, not like that. I tried to interpret this system by fusing 'Heroic Spirits are summoned as highest-degree familiar in canon - as Servants - in specific vessels called Class Containers.' + 'Evil Piece is capable of giving 'second life''. So here, there's nothing like them getting power ups or gaining what they can use when they are Pure Heroic Spirits. The restriction of Class Containers still exist. It's just the vessels are more organic, have lifespans, and more human-like. Then again, this will of course cause discrepancies if not stated clearly huh? I'm sorry for being so vague... I didn't mean to.

Since the vessel leaned to human body more than familiar, Spiritual Form became useless because the nature of the vessel is incompatible with this intrinsic ability. Meanwhile, no influence of Throne of Heroes is exactly because DxDverse is NOT a universe with Collective Wills that can access to the ToH. To begin with, Heroic Spirits are defense measures that can be deployed only by the World, so you can guess what it means. Well, the debuff just happen as a side-effect. You will see it sooner or later but for now, there's not much things to show off.

P.S: It seems there is chaos caused by misunderstanding. I haven't read alternate continuity or season 3 DxD so I didn't know Loki elevated himself into a leader of an army of evil gods. I assumed Solomon's position as evil god because I don't know any other thing that fits him in DxD, and Balor doesn't count. With that train of thought, I decided him to be an Evil God-class due to there being nobody else in that category, and there's no saying about what they are capable of. So... well, like that. If he's not, then which category does the Magic King belongs to?

* * *

 **RAC!**

Student: Indeed, I have recovered but my college schedule is pressing me with lots of field practices. It's getting harder to pump out chapters regularly.

Snorlax-kun: As expected of our resident pervert. His charm attracts anything. It's a bit unfortunate that Fragments of Chaldea is on hiatus though. But EMIYA is going to be Alter's slavechef! And Jeanne!Alter can dominate all kind of Dragons! She's the antithesis of DxD!

Sky Magician: It's noted that Mordred has the quality to be a Berserker. Even when under Saber-class, she's still able to harness traits only for Berserker-class so you can already imagine what kind of thing she is in Apocrypha.

King0fP0wers: And so, stay tuned for the climbing to the climax of this arc!

Guest-san: I'm an evil jerkass mastermind ROB and I'm going to make all the characters suffer waves of problem where nobody but their own can save themselves. Hard difficulty is just right for me to clear the entire challenge!

Stalker Gil-chan: But Gods and anything related to them will anger His Majesty! Also, he's too OP for his own good!

CCC: And then imagine Alter spamming Excaliblast for having contracted Ophis as her Master! The landscape is going to be carved a new one! But for Sieg, he just traced a lookalike. The appearance and shape is the same but it doesn't have the jewel nor any dragon slaying-attribute. It's not even as sharp as Rider's mystic code.

Thunder Dragon: After reading your recommendation... It's unfortunate but I don't like it. How should I say it... OPness much? I'm not into a story where the protagonist is so overly OP nobody can match him. Other than that, I like the dirty jokes and I like how other characters grow but still... Yeah, it's pretty bland IMO.

Answer 1: I don't want to force a pairing. It already ruined my last story so I'm going to let it grow organically then see if I should pair them or not upon reaching a certain threshold.

Answer 2: My plan for Tamamo... is... well, it's different, actually. And the measure I put is right there in this chapter, though it's just a clue with nothing else. Sad to say but I would like to keep the power level not out of the bounds that only select few can overcome it.

Answer 3: It's Apocrypha limited scenario only. It had something to do with... family issues. Sieg himself didn't do anything drastic but Mordred being Mordred, of course she would make it a bigger deal than it actually is.

Answer to Request: Saber-class skill includes Riding. Of course she can be admitted to Rider-class. But once again, I cannot allow class-change or integrating other class-skills into one. She's already strong and decent as is so I'd like to not mess her character up.

Kaiser Dragon: Yes. I want to do major editing once this arc is finished. I'm sorry for the subpar condition right now.

Kirin: What can I say? I'm already not a sane person to even mix the utterly bleak and chaotic Nasuverse with a shounen manga-styled boobs pandering light novel.

Guest-kun: Anime often missed a lot of thing. My source is the wiki, Beast's Lair and the VN itself. Unfortunately, I've been told that Nasu himself seemed to always edited the inner mechanisms of his universe whenever possible. I didn't even know there was some recent editing about Herc's God's Hand ability because something ran counter with the story implementation. Honestly, if it's like this, I'm beginning to wonder which source is more accurate and reliable for references.

Azrael: Nah, he's not gay. He just unconditionally loves anyone he likes, including Sieg. Canon already stated he went to town and slept with women you know?

Knight of Steam: I don't (and never will) pair him up just because. Harem? OTP? I'd rather let the relationships progress by itself rather than forcing my hand in so either can happen, or maybe nothing will happen at all!

Mr. Tanaka: Astolfo=low High-class (cuz he's really second-rate Servant), Saber Alter=low Ultimate (it's supposed to be upper High since she doesn't have immortality but under right condition, her power jumps and sinks accordingly), Karna=high ultimate (he's immortal but the moment he unleashed his NP, he turns easy to poke and burst), while lastly, Solomon=?

Mard Geer: Well, I believe in gray morality. I don't believe every villain goes evil just because. Absence of Light indeed exists but it's not like it applies to everyone. What's more, isn't it better to have varying subplots rather than single patterned ones?

Boomlancer: Have fun out there then. You've got life ahead of you, anyway.

Bang: As you can see, these Servants all have physical bodies. Human vessels, which can degrade if left lazying around. Of course they can get stronger else they will be out of shapes right? But for Azazel, he'd probably probe for the summoning ritual and test it by himself.

Chuck: No, she will kill him first before he can say more! Remember, Shakespeare made a bad move against Jeanne in Apocrypha so he's the only man _the_ France's Heroine ever reserves her wrath on!

Erastone: Of course they can, though I don't think class-change can work. Besides, I like it better if they have to struggle to be good at what their alternate classes can do.


	13. Chapter 12 - Tangled Fates

Well… "To begin with, can you remember anything at all? Such as what happened the night you disappeared with the two Exorcists?"

The Knight frowned slightly. Glancing to the side, his King stared hard at him with solemn expression, together with the rest of his Peerage.

Yuuto exhaled resignedly, "It was… I was just trying to…"

"Kill the crazy guy that experimented on you?" Rider interjected.

"That's…" The blond paused before slowly nodding. "…Yes. Yes, I did."

That matched Issei's words. Judging from his voice, his gestures and his prana signature, there was no lie either.

 _'Can this brat be trusted?'_ A telepathic link connected with my mind.

I didn't react but from the haughtiness seeping from her words, it must be Saber. Or rather, the only female Servant I had at the moment was her alone. I'd like her not to be so callous but well... Saber is Saber.

 _'I think we can believe his words. What about you, Saber?'_ I asked back.

She snorted as she crossed her arms. _'Wet behind the ears. This guy's way, way_ too _inexperienced to even be a squire.'_

 _'…I… see? Is that good? Or is it bad?'_ I tilted my head.

 _'Obviously bad. And you just said he hates Excalibur, right?'_ The Knight of Treachery glared from the side. _'Then he's unworthy of becoming even a stable boy for me.'_

"…Uh, I see."

Inevitably speaking out loud, I could sense the attentions shifting towards me. I coughed into my fist.

"Yuuto, I know this can be difficult but…" Inclining my head, I met his gaze. "What happened after that?"

The boy once again frowned, yet he looked as if he was pondering, recalling his memories. There was a grimace apparent on his face soon after but he shook his head.

"We were about to reach them. However… we were ambushed." He answered hesitantly.

"…By who?" I asked, even as I had an inkling of the culprit in the back of my mind.

He broke the eye contact. Biting his lips, I could tell what he remembered was anything but pleasant. It strengthened my theory but it wasn't enough if he didn't explain—

"A knight," Yuuto replied, the volume of his voice lowering down after each word was said. "It was a knight wearing dull black armors. She has pale complexion, lifeless golden eyes and… she has…"

As words faded away, the Knight's eyes widened with his head raised. He quickly snapped his gaze to my direction—no, to my right side. He was looking at Saber as if he had seen a wraith.

"You…! It's you!" He shouted, alerting everyone in the room as he abruptly stood up and swords emerging into his grasps. "Why are yo—"

Unfortunately, Saber had already _moved_.

"You want to die so much, you rotten bat?" The girl said, her voice echoing from within a horned helmet.

Clarent was already drawn out, the ornate blade set dangerously close to Yuuto's throat that it could cut open his neck in less than a moment. The Servant's entire body too was already encased in silver armor and the bed creaked under the sheer weight of it.

Despite standing right in front of Yuuto who was several heads taller than her, the pressure she exuded made him very small.

"Oi…!?" Someone shouted, only to be silenced by jade green gaze.

"Be silent. I can easily cut off this guy's head faster than you can blink." Saber spat out. "He already took out his weapons so it's a fair play."

…no. Well… I don't think you should judge everything with first contact alone, right? I realized this was quite familiar since she stomped her ways toward me before. Still—

"Saber," I called out. "Lower your sword. He's an ally."

"Ah?" She glared back at me. "Are you giving _me_ an order?"

I shook my head, "No. It is a suggestion."

The air was thick with pressure and tensions. I could even sense coldness creeping down my back, and it was familiar. Yes… this feeling… It was as if I was facing the incarnation of Death.

On that hill tarnished with blood and gore of my siblings. On that hill where I lost my life for the second time. On that very hill where I first discovered my ability to defy fate.

Yes. Saber had once been my enemy. No matter what had happened, she tried to kill Rider, and she has actually killed me once. Would she even acknowledge me even though I was the living symbol of her failure—

"…tch. Fine then." Saber spoke out and removed her silver sword away.

She hopped off the bed, taking a steady stride to return to my side. Before she turned around, however—

"You've got some guts now, _Master._ " So she said in low voice.

"I learned from the best teachers, after all." I shrugged noncommittally.

Once again she scoffed, but she didn't say anything else. Saber spun on her heels and simply dissolved her Noble Phantasms. She stood stock still like a knight awaiting for her next command.

Even so, the tenseness in the atmosphere were only reduced, not erased.

"Well… Let's just ignore the ill-mannered princess here and move on!" Rider exclaimed.

"Oi!" Saber protested, but she was gratuitously _ignored_.

How very much like Rider. He didn't even bat an eye or be intimidated. Even so, the two did not bump their heads despite being former enemies, and the remaining tensions hanging in the air were smoldered away as they continued talking back-and-forth.

"Still, you sure got it lucky. Then again, you and that blue lass were soundly beaten with lots of broken bones." Rider remarked.

"Really…?" Yuuto blinked. "But wait. Did you find only two of us?"

 _Ah,_ came a sound from Issei. In the face of curious gazes, he awkwardly raised a hand. "Actually, Irina is resting in Kaichou's home right now."

Huh…?

"She was wounded, you see? The bastard Kokabiel showed up outside our house with that shitty priest. Irina was thrown in and she was badly injured…" Issei cast his gaze down, his hands gradually clenched hard.

What…? Kokabiel…? How did all that happen—no. Wait. I shouldn't have been surprised of his eccentricity. He had stated that he intended to wage war even if there was no reason backing up his action. If so, considering him expressly delivering the last exorcist by his own…

"What did he say to you?" I probed in.

Issei once again blinked, probably confused by my direct approach to the topic. I was aware of how I acted but it didn't matter right now. From what I knew so far… I lacked several factors to prove my point, and I needed them. The sooner the better.

"Well… He said he was going to start another war using the holy swords," Issei answered. "He said he was bored, and he wanted to kill both Buchou and Kaichou just so to incite the Maous."

"Did he say anything else?" I asked again.

Gremory stepped forward this time. "He intended to use this town as his base. I didn't hear the specific details but he also mentioned releasing the true power of the Excaliburs."

My frown went deeper. Lowering my head and pressing two fingers on my chin, I quickly processed the information I've gathered.

 _'Sieg? Uh, hello? You there?'_ Rider interjected.

 _'Stop pestering, you blabbermouth!'_ Saber suddenly chided.

 _'What? Hey! It's not like you're not curious right? I know you're not listening at all!'_ Rider pointed out, half-shouting.

 _'Like hell I did! Who do you think I am?!'_ Saber shouted back.

Hmm… So the telepathic links were linked? Well, it doesn't really matter. This is not a strange occurrence for the two Servants anyway.

 _'Please keep it down, both of you.'_ I told them even though I knew voicing out my opinion would be fruitless at this point.

Obviously, they continued to bicker. Shrugging my shoulders, I delved deeper into my memories. From my first meeting with the Fallen Angel, to the confrontation between us, to the tea-party, and then to the latest events.

What he said. What his actions implied. The purpose behind this incident he started was already revealed. The plan he had was already laid out. The time and place he intended to execute his plan on was already mentioned…

"…time…?" I murmured as the word slowly sunk in my mind.

Wait. This made no sense. He explained his plan to me, and yet he told the same thing to Issei and Gremory. He even met them directly just for that sake alone. But Yuuto's group was attacked much, much earlier. Did they imprison them and put them out? Why? For what purpose?

There were some things he did not specify. Something was not said to the Devils or to me. There were several discrepancies, and they….

 _They are all connected._

"This is bad." I spoke out loud.

But before everyone reacted, I already slammed the door open and left the room in haste.

"Wha - hey, wait! Sieg, where are you going!?" Rider hollered far behind.

Knowing I was already too far, I decided to tell my Servants through our links.

 _'Tell everyone who can move to go to the Kuoh Academy's front gate.'_

 _'Huh - eh? …Wait a minute… It can't be!?'_

 _'Ah. It is as you thought, Rider…'_

Leaving the mansion, I looked upward at a certain direction. The sky was blue and clear without many clouds drifting.

Even so - a clear sign of disturbance touched my skin, grinding on my mind like thousands of ants crawling on my skin. I already felt disgusted and nauseous but I pressed a hand on my chest where my heart resided in to calm it down.

…it did nothing.

I scowled, "We've been tricked."

* * *

As everyone had arrived, I counted out my Servants who had gone to scout the area. Focusing on the Gremory and Sitri, I talked to their respective Kings.

"How is it?" Gremory asked.

"Sieg-kun is correct. The format of the bounded fields were replaced completely," Sitri sighed. "Even if we go all-out to return them back to normal, we can only expect some results after dusk. All we can do is just use what we have right now."

The two devils looked at me, perhaps in hope of positive news. Alas, there was nothing I could offer.

"While I can breach them, the bounded fields are set to regenerate almost instantly, all thanks to the leylines. It'd be easy for me, Rider and Saber to go in but I doubt the rest of us can follow along." I answered.

The two Kings' shoulders sank slightly.

"I guess one thing we should be grateful is how the Fallen Angel prepared a stage." Gremory said.

"He left a weak spot in the barriers covering the school's entrance. Judging from the arrangement, he probably wants us to fight by his own terms." Her friend quipped.

The two wore bitter expressions. It made some senses since he was the one who issued the challenge. Even more, he's a living witness of the Great War, the most horrible war in this dimension's Moonlit World's history. To fear him was not wrong at all…

As I felt the depressing silence was long overdue, the vice-president of Occult Research Club approached us.

"Rias, I have already informed Sirzechs-sama." She stated.

Gremory was the first to react as she yelled out her name, criticizing her. Even so, the black-haired Queen wore similar expression. No smile was present on her face. No longer was there any sign of mischiefs in her eyes, and she didn't show her usual playful manner.

This is… she is serious.

" _Rias_. I know that you do not want to cause problems for Sirzechs-sama, but it is a different story when the leader of the enemy appears. This is no longer a matter you can solve on your own." Himejima pointed out.

Gremory was about to open her mouth yet she halted, took a deep breath in and nodded in resigned understanding. The Queen of Gremory returned her playful smile seeing that.

"Thank you for understanding the situation, Buchou," She said before meeting Sitri's gaze. "Sona-sama, reinforcement will be here in an hour."

"One hour…" The black-haired president of Student Council reiterated. "I am quite doubtful we can exert much of our focus in broad daylight. Even so, the weakened spot of the barriers will go down soon."

"Then…"

Sitri pushed her glasses with her delicate finger. "We, the Student Council, vows to continue withholding the path for the reinforcement to follow, and also to guard it in the name of Sitri."

Ah, she used her house's name… Is that a sign for her oath, or could that be a kind of geas? Devils were known with their abilities to forge contracts with sorcerers after all, so maybe it was a tradition.

Still, reinforcement huh… It was reassuring to hear we will not fight alone, but-

"Himejima, will that be enough to subdue Kokabiel?" I asked.

"Oh my. Sieg-kun, it is best to not underestimate the prowess of a Maou." The girl chided me. "And above all, this is Buchou's older brother we are speaking of."

Yes. And he is also a Devil bearing the title of 'Lucifer'. There was no doubt that such being is capable enough to put down one of the leading Fallen Angels, but something in my mind believed that might be one of Kokabiel's 'true aims'…

To begin with, how many folds of lies have been piled up until now? Not to mention...

"I would have liked it if you two are not involved with this." I voiced out my honest opinion.

"Oh? Now what is this sudden change of heart?" Himejima pressed a hand on her cheek and tilted her head.

"It's far too dangerous. The two of you being here means Kokabiel has already obtained what is necessary to accomplish his objective." I huffed. "And entering the school ground also means there will be no turning back."

"You speak as if you already know what will happen..." Sitri half-glared.

I rubbed the bridge of my nose. "Because I _do_ know how it feels to risk your life on the line."

How many times have I been plunged into battles where the odds were completely turned against me? How many times have I stared death in the face? How many times have I lied in the boundary between life and death?

To be perfectly honest, it's nothing short of a miracle that my human part had yet to dissolve from the countless battlefields I participated in the Reverse Side of the World. Aside from the ancient creatures, some such as the Calydonian Boars were utter nightmares that I'd do anything to stay away from or else I'd die a meaningless death.

After all, there's no point in hoarding a treasure when the Guardian is not qualified as one.

"Unfortunately, we cannot do that," Gremory said whilst shaking her head twice. "It is our responsibility as the supervisors of this town and to let another person do our job will scar our pride."

"And it will cause unnecessary frictions once we report this incident to the higher-ups." The Sitri heiress sighed.

I pursed my lips. "Pride can be regained with time and efforts. Life reaped cannot be returned."

"Even so, we cannot let Kokabiel rampage around. If we are not here, who knows what will he do to the town? Letting him loose after he stole so many Excaliburs will not benefit us. It is far worse than dealing with him head-on too." She countered.

And undoubtedly, she is right. These two are the perfect incentives to control Kokabiel's movements. With them in this town, Kokabiel would not go anywhere since his goal was to assassinate both of the Satans' younger siblings. It also allows us to contain him in a single spot.

Nevertheless, I-

 _"Heeeeeeeyyy! Sieg, we're back!"_

My thoughts were cut off by a frantic shout which was quickly followed by irritated snarls. Turning around, Rider and Saber approached us in their respective armors. Rider being Rider, his purple jacket was quite conspicuous but Saber was far above him with her exotic red dress.

"We already placed the hypnosis charms to redirect the common folks away. Be it visibility, touch, scent, sound, or even presence… nothing will make them notice us wreaking havoc until the charms are lifted!" Rider reported with a salute.

I nodded gratefully. "Good work, you two."

"Bah. I'm not some errand boy." Saber complained.

"Yes yes. This is the only time I will ask of you to do this." I responded appropriately.

After all, the Devils here had more varying spells in sorcery. Perhaps it was because of them being nonhumans but it might be due to their heritage as members of the 72 Pillars. Their knowledge could be said originating from the age where modern thaumaturgy flourished the most.

Unlike in our home world, the knowledge of the distant past had been persevered up to this day.

…then again, I too am considered as an embodiment of Magic just by existing. Although, I was born artificially so despite being a Phantasmal Beast, I wasn't a part of Gaia's terminals. But I digress.

"Now you can fight to your heart's content, right?" I added.

"Hmph, you don't need to tell me that!" Saber put a hand on her waist, lifted her chin and smirked smugly.

Even so, acting like that while wearing clothes that were obviously out-of-place around here… I couldn't help but to smile awkwardly. Well, how could I not, considering how bizarre the design was?

"Hey! What about me?" Rider pulled my arm and coiled his arms around it.

Raising an eyebrow, I suddenly felt a bit difficult to speak clearly. "Err…? Rider, you can't use your mount and tome… If you can, please look after Gremory and Sitri for me."

"What?! Why…?!" He screamed.

To tell the truth, I didn't think he could help in a clash between two Sabers. Not mentioning his Noble Phantasms, his parameters would just mean dragging down Saber. Also…

"I can't afford to lose you."

"Uh…!?"

"Saber as well. And the Devils here are all my friends. Also, the townspeople are quite nice…"

"E-ehh…?"

Yes. If anything, the desire to protect has been growing rapidly. Since Fafnir's blood coursed in my veins, I possessed some aspects of the Dragon who hoarded cursed treasures. If I considered something or someone as important, I'd be more inclined to stand in the line just to protect them.

However, I also knew that people such as Rider and Saber required no such thing. They also had their own right to choose, and their own prides to uphold. Should I overstepped my boundary, the former would once again berated me while the latter would actually unleash her Noble Phantasm at full power.

As such… to prevent the inevitable, I have to consider the situations of the people I am dealing with.

"Ugh… Somehow, this looks hopeless…" Rider lamented. "Oh, wait. But if it's like that, what will you do, Sieg?"

Hmm…? Well, if it's that…

"I will fight, of course." I replied flatly.

"…against who?" Rider asked back.

"Kokabiel." I replied again.

…

"So this time I've got a Master with a death wish huh." Saber commented.

"Nononononoooo! This isn't something to set aside like that!" Rider protested. "Why are _you_ going out of your way to pick a fight against a leading Fallen Angel!?"

Why, you ask…? Even if I were to not know what had happened so far, I could still have the same answer. It all boiled down in one thing-

"I'd like to hit him with everything that I have right now." I raised a hand and clenched it into a fist.

"So simple! My Master is hilariously simple—NOT! _Why!?_ " Rider once again screamed out.

"God, just shut up already! Why do you have to care anyway!?" Saber shouted at him with volume that did not lose to him.

…you know what? Let's just forget these two and move along. I have no interest in gaining headache just before our first campaign in this dimension began.

Walking away, I observed how the Devils interacted each other. Most of the Sitri's Peerage members were busy tweaking the bounded fields but several chatted with Gremory's to an informal level.

I heard wishes for safe return. I heard them encouraging each other. I heard… wait, what was that about ass and burning?

"…well, whatever." Muttering to myself that, I continued walking…

And I gazed at one Jeanne d'Arc who also gazed back at me.

…

Now I wasn't sure of what to-do. In this kind of situation where coincidence caused us to exchange eye contact like this… What should I do?

From the corner of my peripheral vision, I noticed Yuuto and Quarta discussing. The former two, alongside Jeanne, volunteered to fight alongside with us even though they were still not fit enough to fight. I understood their reasons, and that we required as much as fighting power we could get but to fight again after all that is just…

"Err… _Sieg-kun_ , is there something wrong?" Taking the initiative, Jeanne inquired.

I winced a little at that particular addressing manner. Even so, I masked away my insecurity and replied with a 'No, it's nothing serious' just like I always did.

Unfortunately, it seemed I drew her ire as the Exorcist puffed her cheeks and pointed her index finger at my chest.

 _"Boys can never be trusted when they say that."_

…huh…?

"What… did you just say?" I reflexively questioned her.

This time Jeanne frowned. "What? Are you trying to talk back?"

"No, it's not that…" I shook my head, dispelling the past memories that continued to crawl out from the depth of my mind.

This isn't the place for me to drown and see what I wanted. Neither is this the time for me to grieve for my deeds. And not when I have betrayed _her_ expectations…

"Hey!" Jeanne shouted out.

"Y-yes…?" I replied, hastily straightening my back for some unknown reasons.

She once again pouted. "Geez, you shouldn't space out like that. It's rude to ignore someone when they're speaking."

Ah… That is… Yeah. I guess so…

"…Is something bothering your mind?" Jeanne then asked.

I lifted my chin ever so slightly. "I… guess."

The Inheritor of Heroic Spirit smiled bitterly. The light in her eyes telling me that she understood something, as if she had seen through my lies.

Just like _that person._

Just like _her._

 _Just like Ruler did._

"…Sieg-kun, come here." Jeanne waved a hand.

What does that mean? I couldn't understand what she meant, so I strode forward… And felt two arms wrapping my back.

"Huh-"

My voice faded in utter surprise. My mind blanked out, unable to process anything as the arms circling my body tightened. The embrace gave me warmth, nostalgic warmth. The golden mop of hair shone with brilliant luster while a fresh scent reminiscent to sunflower tickled my nose.

 _"Thank you, for everything you have done."_

A whisper entered my ears. It was crisp and beautiful, clear as day and echoing like singing bells. Most importantly, that voice carried _warmth_ that I yearned.

I couldn't comprehend why she would thank me. For what reason did she give her gratitude? For what purpose when I have already accepted it before…?

"I'm sure you haven't noticed." Jeanne said as if she had read my thought.

My heart throbbed a beat faster, and she chuckled, releasing me of her grasp.

"But it's okay. I just want to thank you for saving my colleague." She then explained. "Ah. Don't misunderstand, okay? You're already my greatest benefactor so this is just a given. Call it a service!"

"…I… see…?" I tilted my head.

That embrace never meant anything personal… Even though I understood that trivial fact, I couldn't help but feeling… disheartened. Why? Even though I thought I had long acknowledged that the girl before me is not _her_. Even though I-

"So – make sure you don't die, okay? I can't forgive myself if you do."

…

"…ah. I understand." I nodded down, catching a bright, wide grin on Jeanne d'Arc's face.

Even so, she is not _her_. The Saint that I knew had never once wished for luck to those who will risk their lives. We knew that battlefield required more than luck to survive in. We knew that the battlefield we stepped in was a battlefield that will cost someone's life regardless of who. And in my eyes…

 _There is no longer anything that allowed me to project_ her _image on her._

"…Thank you, Jeanne." I told her with all of my sincerity.

The girl giggled. "It's nothing. I'm just repaying my debt to you."

Tugging a faint smile, I suppressed the festering disappointment and depression in my heart. I couldn't show my weakness in this moment. I couldn't ruin this moment when so many fates are hanging in the balance.

 _This is fine._ This is all I need for now. Even this is far, far better than running away.

Bidding farewell, I left the area and chose to talk with other people… only to be greeted by Yuuto, followed by Issei who had been talking with him.

"Oh, hey! Is the strategy meeting done yet?" The brown head waved a hand.

"I believe so. At least we will have reinforcement arriving in one hour." I greeted in the same kind.

"So we are going to stall Kokabiel until then?" Yuuto deduced.

I wordlessly nodded, and the two relaxed their shoulders somewhat. Probably, they had already acknowledged the differences in power and were relieved they did not need to aim for unreachable victory.

"But wait. What about that knight?" Issei asked.

"Saber will fight her," I readily replied. "She's her fated opponent after all."

"Fated...?" Issei parroted in confusion.

I'd preferred not to explain any further. Without her being around, I'd be chased down and killed on the spot if I freely told everyone what had actually happened-

"Sieg-kun. I have heard from Sona-sama," Yuuto stated. "Is it true that person's name is 'Mordred', and that she is a distant relative of the Pendragon house?"

...ah. I guess I couldn't. How foolish of me to even forget that Rider had already blurted out Saber's True Name to Sitri's entourage...

"Answer me honestly. Is the Black Knight too another member of the Pendragon?" Yuuto pursued the topic further, his voice slowly dripping with hostility.

Unfortunately, I had seen that face before. That expression was something I found yet again as familiar. How could I forget when it was I who caused someone to bear hatred upon me?

That vengeful hatred blazed forth the moment a tortured child's soul was about to be purified. That maddening anger which promised hell of pain on my well-being. That burning desire to kill even if one's life were to lose in the dancing flame...

"...Kiba Yuuto. Do you intend to exact your vengeance on someone who has nothing to do with your friends' death?" I questioned him.

"She is a Pendragon." Yuuto remarked.

Dejectedly sighing, I realized that he was being unreasonable. There was no other way to convince him since his hatred had already taken a root deep in his heart, and he prejudiced against those that had the slightest relation with his target of vengeance.

Unfortunately, the fact that he was so easily be put down under her mercy must have angered him further.

"And pray tell, is there any relation with this all?" I once again asked.

"There is. Why do you think this all happened? King Arthur was the one who drew out Excalibur!" Yuuto yelled.

"And he wielded it to save a country from falling apart. Is such a noble goal evil in your eyes?" I countered.

"He still used Excalibur to suppress the rebellions. He even plundered villages just so that he can continue to supply the knights to wage wars!" The boy argued back.

"That does not mean anything. It was _'his'_ decision, not the sword's command. Could he even be a king just because he pulled out a sword from the stone?" I snorted. "No. Of course not. Arthur Pendragon became a king exactly because he has the capacity to be a king."

"That is irrelevant! The Excalibur-"

 _"Whoa whoa! Knock it off, you two! This isn't the time for some brawl!"_ Issei suddenly shouted out and stood between us.

Yuuto was still glaring at me but I chose to set this case aside, and simply breathed out, evening my heart rate in seconds.

"Ugh... Just what the heck is wrong with you? And Sieg, I didn't expect you to be so reeled up..."

Truly? ...perhaps I did. No, I was certainly reeled up, right? But even if I were to ask myself why, I already knew the answer.

It was because Yuuto wished to blame the Pendragon house and by extension, Mordred as well.

I understood that it was just a string of words. They never meant anything for what had passed could not be prevented nor could it be changed. The past is not the present, so many people have taught that lesson into the marrows of my bones.

However – it still doesn't mean I can acknowledge a baseless accusation directed on someone that I knew of.

"...agh. I hate this tension..." Issei drooped his shoulders. "Gah! That's it! At least don't bite each other for now! Sieg is one thing, but are you sure you want to be punished by Buchou too, Kiba?"

The Knight retained his silence. Even so, he took a deep breath and sighed, expelling his anger away with his sigh.

"...I understand, Issei-kun. But I was just..." Yuuto trailed off.

"No but! Besides, don't you think that even if that Arthur did not pull out the sword, someone else will still draw it?" Issei pointed out. "Also, wasn't Excalibur made by the Church? They probably loaned the sword to King Arthur just to make sure he become their posterboy or something, right?"

...

...ah. That makes… sense, though I found it very strange were I to replace the word 'Church' with 'Fairies'. It also made me to wonder if they expected something in return due to their inherent natures.

Regardless, I didn't think of seeing it from such perspective. How narrow-minded of me…

"Issei, I didn't know you're a genius." I praised the holder of Boosted Gear.

"Well, of course I am - wait, are you saying I didn't look smart at all until now!?" Issei gasped.

To be honest? _…Yes._ You looked too much like a simpleton more often than not. Although exactly because of that that I'm very certain you will get along well with Rider.

"…I admit I didn't consider that possibility at all." Yuuto commented, his lips twitched upward faintly.

"Meh. Doesn't really matter now that you can take revenge on the main culprit." Issei raised and crossed his arms behind his head. "If anything, I won't forgive you if you don't live through this all."

"Is that a threat?" He asked.

Issei instantly answered, "Hell no. You're my friend so it won't be good for me if you died."

The Knight's expression became hard to read. He didn't respond to the boy's statement, but I could see something, as faint it might be.

A soft expression, one that seemed to relieve him from nightmares that continued to assault him every night.

"…well. I've got to go now." Knowing that there was no longer anything I could do here, I excused myself.

I was walking away without looking back. For a fair distance there was comfortable silence—

"Oh yeah! Sieg!" Issei called out and I turned my head to the side.

The brown-haired boy's eyes were filled with fierce, powerful light. His gaze was resolute as he raised an arm forward with clenched hand that lacked any hesitation at all.

I wondered what he was trying to do. But before I could think of any idea, he – Hyoudou Issei confidently exclaimed.

"Let's do our best, buddy!"

…

"…Ah." I nodded, smiling at those encouraging words.

A battlefield required more than luck, hence the reason why Heroic Spirits like Jeanne never wished for it even if it were for somebody's sake. They understood the severity of wars, and they had seen the depth of cruelty the world could offer in their paths.

But, Issei and his friends aren't warriors tempered by war. They were far too inexperienced, and far too powerless if pitted against incarnations of legendary heroes, inferior copies they may be. I wondered if I could just settle this with just myself and my Servants, but I too understood that the Devils would not back down from protecting this town, the town they lived in.

Thus, the only thing that should be done is just one thing-

Expend all of my efforts, intelligence, strength, life and fortune for the sake of one selfish desire.

* * *

Her hands were itchy.

She could feel it. She could sense it even if she did not want to. But exactly because she wanted to that the anticipation was torturing her. To fly in and confront her king once again just like that day on the hill of Camlann was her earnest desire right now. Thus, it was utterly unacceptable for her to wait like this.

 _How could it be not? 'He' is here! 'Father' is here…! And 'he' is summoned as a Saber as well!_

Never could she feel so overjoyed. Never could she feel so disgusted. Never could she feel so very _hateful_ of this gift from the Heaven.

Sure, as long as she desired to challenge the Sword of Appointment, eventually, the day would come where the two faced each other yet again. Such was the fate for those seeking the omnipotent wish-granting device.

However, Saber doubted the indifferent King of Knights had an impossible wish to be granted for.

Even if there was any, she could not believe the _perfect king_ would seek for the aid of a construct that paled in comparison to the original Holy Grail. She had seen and understood the extent of miracle the damned cup could grant, and she admitted perhaps rewriting history was very possible as long as one held clear concepts over their wishes.

 _…it matters not,_ Mordred concluded, shaking her head twice to erase those hideous thoughts. She had long realized that the king… Arthur was one who could not understand the hearts of men. She was sorely convinced by the truth the moment she was felled in that blood soaked hill, and realized the drive behind that cold indifference.

A king is not a human. A king exists for the country, for his people. A king is called as a king exactly because he leads the country away from griefs, bloodshed and poverty.

 _Damn it. Even though I know and understand what that entails, as if I can accept it. The king isn't a slave-_

"Saber?"

"Hm? Ah, Master. What is it?"

The Knight of Treachery leveled her gaze to meet the Magus – no, the dragon-in-human-skin at the eyes. Memories of her last summoning were easily recalled, and it brought a smile on her face. _Now that I think about it, it started when I saw him and that useless Rider…_

"…I'd like to talk to you for a bit." The silver-haired boy said.

Mordred blinked. _Huh, so he's growing more and more assertive these days.  
_

"Make it quick. The strategy meeting has already been done." Saber huffed, imposing her arrogance yet again.

But as if the aberration had expected it, all she acquired was a soft smile and a shimmering, gentle gaze. And before she could process the ridiculous reaction, he stepped forward, closing the distance between them. Saber admitted she was confused since her previous Master – Shishigou Kairi was not one who was fond of intrusion of personal space.

It was normal though. For a Heroic Spirit… even a facsimile which was a Servant could snap the neck of a Magus like breaking a small twig. Most Magi too preferred working alone in order to maintain their Mysteries from degradation, hence the reason why Mordred was uncomfortable with this strange turn of event.

 _Just what do you wan—_

"Saber. You will not gain anything even if you win." Her Master stated.

Her blood froze before it was ignited with burning desire to kill him. She never cared of the well-being of humans around here. She cared for only herself, nothing more and nothing less.

That was why. That was exactly why she could not give up. She would not break when others would. She could not go down when many people did. She always strove forward, growing stronger and better than everyone else.

if she was told that what she did was - _wait. This guy could never be a fool, especially in front of me._

Taking a deep breath in, Saber then snorted. "You of all people know why I fight."

"Even so, that very wish you have can no longer be granted in this world." Her Master rebutted.

"You summoned me. You possess the Command Seals. You have all that proved your points otherwise." She remarked.

"And yet it is not here. It is never here from the first place. There is nothing that indicates what we need and what we must do." The boy retaliated.

The two glared at each other. Nothing was reflected in their eyes except the reflection of the other. Nothing was exchanged but wills that clashed against each other.

Even though the boy knew how his killer thought. Even though the girl knew how her equal thought...

"Hmph." Saber huffed, crossing her arms. "Yet you aren't stopping me from fighting. I already know, fool. This is a one-way trip"

"Yes. Which is why..."

"Not interested. I'm not hearing your poor excuses, Master."

The knight turned around to put further emphasis. She could hear a low grunt coming from behind her, yet she was not irritated for such mockery. No, not at all. It instead caused her to remember.

 _Just like that idiotic Rider, he's always blunt and never cutting corners to tell his point through. As I thought, he thinks I'm still the same like before. He still believe this me have not changed at all!_

"How impudent!" Saber exclaimed.

She spun on her heels. With her hands on her waist, she puffed her chest and straightened her back, making sure she received her summoner's undivided attentions.

Once she confirmed it, she started, "Allow me to remind you, stupid Master. I have gained what I wanted to know from you. You answered the king's question - in other words, _you_ have obtained _my_ favor to pave my path even further."

"...didn't I tell you that-"

"Do not interrupt, you bollock! The king has not finished speaking! Do you want to be executed so badly!?"

Utter annoyance this time graced the boy's facial. He rolled his eyes, groaning yet again and finally shut his damn mouth.

Saber _knew_ she had won. Even if it was just an argument, victory is still a victory.

"Listen well, Master. I no longer have any interests in second life whatsoever when all of it has already been granted. Thus - I shall make my point clear that even a fool like you can understand."

"...I don't want to hear it yet I have to, aren't I...?"

She nodded. He whined.

"Oh, shut up already. At any rate, what I sought have yet to change. The only difference here is the situation but it is still salvageable. In fact, it's infinitely closer than you ever thought."

 _Huh,_ the former Homunculus muttered in confusion. He sounded very ignorant of the matter even though his deed was the very reason why the Servant chose to not gut him and kill him on the spot.

 _Hmph. It's not like I have time to waste and I still have a score to settle. This is just another stepping stone for me..._

"If you still want to know, then ask yourself what you did several nights ago. If all else fail, though, you're going to die with no question allowed." Saber warned.

"...that's not fair at all..." The Master complained. "Alright... Fine. I still don't get why you want to remain here but I won't bother for now."

 _Good. Because when you do, you have no right to not fight as my sworn rival.  
_

* * *

Haa... talking with Saber really _is_ exhausting.

"Hey hey! Master, why are you being gloomy right now?" Rider popped out at my side.

Looking at him, I shook my head twice. "It's nothing. It's just... waiting can be tiring sometimes."

My friend laughed. His visage was beautiful like finely sculpted marble statue and my thought somehow wandered to what were his comrades, the rest of the 12 Peers did just to hear and see him smiling.

"Sieg-kun! Everything is all set!" Yura Tsubasa announced.

Nodding, I exhaled deeply. "It's time. Let's go, Rider. Saber."

The two Servants followed me. Light gathered and enveloped their body, forming the armors woven by magic. Alongside my friends, we stood in front of the school entrance.

"Whatever happens inside, we can't see you so you will receive no back-up until Sirzechs-sama's army arrived." Sitri warned, yet her expression softened. "I'm sorry, we cannot offer more help."

"It's more than enough, Sitri-san. I appreciate your concern." I tried to reassure her.

"Yes. But I am still worried since you have yet to answer anything at all by this point, Sieg-kun."

Ah... Yeah. There really are a mountain of problems to solve. And I guess hiding it made it even harder to keep on doing it. Although... it's not like I have any obligation.

"Say, Sieg-kun. What do you think of our chances?" From the side, I heard one crimson-haired Devil's inquiry.

That is...

"...in winning the battle against Kokabiel?" I asked back, and she nodded. "...To be frank, that is a very difficult question."

Even if I were to put it mildly, the enemy could raze the entire region down single-handedly. Sitri had already confirmed he was very capable of doing that, which coincided with my impression of his strength. Not many could crack the magic resistance of a Dragon Kind after all.

"Even more, our other opponent is a Servant. To even expect complete victory is outside of our expectations..." I pursed my lips.

"Servant... Now that I think about it, what I know is that your friends are the same. What does that mean?" Sitri questioned.

I immediately pondered. What should I say? Before, all I told the Devils were that they were a kind of Heroes. I didn't like exposing the essences of Holy Grail War to unrelated party but... I guess knowing it is far better than running blindly without directions.

"I guess, Servants are..." I stalled. "Gremory, you know that there are various Heroes right?"

"Yes. The descendants and the inheritors of a Hero's Spirit." She replied readily. "If I remembered correctly, that girl with broad sword is a descendant from the Pendragon house, isn't she? I'm surprised you know one of them when the Pendragon has long chosen to not interfere with the supernatural side."

Ah. Looks like the cover has not yet been blown completely. It allowed some leeway to use but regardless, this made it easier.

"Yes. Well, technically, Saber is one while Rider is a kind of inheritor." I explained. "But there's no need to worry. Both of them are not affiliated with any of the Three Factions. They're my comrades."

Hearing that, Sitri smiled at ease. "I can see that. Usually, Heroes always antagonize us due to our history with humanity, but..."

Sensing her comprehension, I nodded down. "Yes. Including the maiden knight, the three of them are a different kind of Heroes. They are still Heroes but their true natures are... very different from the norm."

"Thus, 'Servants'. Now I understand." Gremory held her chin. "Still, what is the difference?"

Hm... now this is getting harder. But if I were to put it simply-

"They are just like their original predecessors, I guess. Even more so than the Descendants whose bloods have diluted through generations, and much, much more than the Inheritors. You can even say that they are the same people as the ones who carved their legends in history."

"...are you saying that... They can do what the original Heroes can do? _All of it?_ "

Watching how the Heiress of Sitri's eyes festered gloomy light - fear, perhaps - I could not do anything but to wordlessly nod in confirmation. The terror in her eyes already explained so much to me, but she needed to know the truth sooner than later.

"But, then, why are you telling us this _now?_ " Gremory sputtered.

"About that..." I grimaced. "...because there is no need for your concern."

"Not our concerns...?"

The two looked appalled now. However, the black-haired Student Council president held her breath, and her eyes widened.

"...You intend to confront her no matter what we say." She deduced. "Even though you're a human, yet you're trying to go up against someone that is as capable as legendary heroes."

A bitter smile broke out on my face. "It is my decision."

"Just because it is your decision does not make it right! Are you insane!?" Sitri _yelled._

I blinked in surprise. I even almost thought that I was hearing it from someone else, and the same went to Gremory who stared at her friend.

Flustered, she took a step back, taking a deep breath in. Her composure was returned so quickly it was like a lie, yet she still glared dagger at me.

"I cannot accept this at all." Sitri stated. "Rias and I are one thing, but you have no obligation nor will you gain anything from this. So why, Sieg-kun? Why do you decide to fight?"

She sounded as if she was pleading. I didn't know what brought this change but... I knew that expression well. I understood why she was questioning my actions.

 _Ah. To think yet another person values my - this fake existence so much..._

"I guess everyone's right. I _do_ have some worth." I whispered under my breaths.

Slowly straightening my back, I faced the two Heiresses. I contained my weaknesses and tried my best to not yield even in the face of death. I had done this before. I have done this so many times I became used to it.

Even so, I still wished to show that I am no longer who I was. Not as a tool nor as an existence who borrowed the life of another, but as a whole person. As a man, and as someone who can be proud of his own actions...

"I fight because I have something to gain. I cannot back down if I wish to attain that goal I've set my eyes upon."

The two went quiet. They looked confused by my answer, perhaps.

"A goal... What is it? What kind of reason drives you so hard that you can risk yourself like that...?" Sitri asked.

And I smiled. "It is but a very personal desire of mine."

A single desire that was too vague to even be called as a motivation to fight.

A small wish that could never compare with the salvation of humanity.

A mere wistful thinking that moved me all along until now.

That wish is...

"I merely wish to see the future ahead of us."

With that, there was no more words to say. Several moments later, Himejima called out to us about her success in making a temporary pathway wide enough for the three of us and the entire Gremory's Peerage to pass through.

"Well, I guess this is it then." I told the glasses-wearing Heiress.

She exhaled, "...please do not overdo it, Sieg-kun."

"Unfortunately, I cannot promise you that, Sitri-san." I quipped.

The girl stared daggers at me once again. All I could do was to force a smile in hope of reassuring her. But as I expected, not even the Devil favored my recklessness.

"...Sieg-kun. If that's how you intend to play it, then I shall demand for a punishment exclusive for you alone."

...uh...?

"But I don't think I have done anything wrong yet..." I quietly protested.

"Shall I tell you how many infractions you have committed so far, then?" Sitri swiftly interjected.

That's... That is just...

I spat out a depressed, resigned sigh. "...alright. I understand... But is it alright to wait after this is over?"

"Yes. I will make sure you reflect on your mistakes, _Sieg-kun._ " She smirked sadistically.

Aah... I really don't want to know what will befall upon me... Now I'm reminded of Rider's previous Master again... Such an ill omen, to appear before an important battle...

Dejectedly walking to join with everyone else, I stood with Rider and Saber next to my side. Saber was already wearing her armor while Rider was wearing his chainmail and cloak. Together with the Gremory group, we marched through the school's entrance.

Rider and Saber ceased paying attention to each other and they immediately stood fifteen steps ahead of everyone with me following in suite. As they walked leisurely, their eyes subtly shifted to scan the surroundings.

 _'How is it?'_ Connecting the telepathic links, I asked.

 _'...Well. You can see for yourself, Master. No ambush.'_ Rider answered.

Nodding, I reinforced my sensory organs to perceive the environment. The air was heavy with pure prana it was almost toxic to humans. Most likely, something had been done to the leylines and one of the side-effects was deep saturation of magical energy throughout the surroundings. It was even visible to naked eyes as purple mist.

"Mmm?" I mumbled, sensing something was off.

Behind us, the pathway had closed up without any of us being aware of it. Then upward, even though the sun was shaded by the 'roof' of the bounded fields, power sapped away from my body, concentrating far above the school building. It wasn't dangerous but this would limit my options in the long run, but this characteristic…

"It's a Magus-styled bounded field... Huh?" I lifted my chin and gazed at the school building.

Could it be a Territory Creation skill? But that is limited to the Caster-class Servant. If so, are we going to fight more than two Servants? A Caster in their workshop is a tough opponent, and if they happened to have double-summoning skill like the Assyrian Queen, things will get ugly very fast…

"Uh..." At the back, Argento moaned, walking as if in a daze.

Issei grabbed her by the shoulders. "Asia, you okay?"

"I'm... I'm fine. It's just... Why does my body feel... Heavy?" She raised a question.

That sentiment was shared by everyone. The effects varied but other than Gremory, Jeanne and Issei, the rest of us showed mild difficulties in breathing as well as moving around.

"It's the bounded field's effects." I replied in everyone's stead. "I've experienced this before. As long as we are perceived as intruders or enemies by the bounded field's creator, our strength will be drained if not reduced."

Although it doesn't make sense for a bounded field to contain so much pure magical energy. If it's like this, even I could use it to my own advantage…

"What...? That's ridiculous...!" Issei protested.

"Oh, please. You're not even affected by it just like this guy." Saber pointed at me with a thumb. "Then again, this isn't a workshop or Noble Phantasm of someone in Caster's caliber. Looks like we're the exceptions here."

Ah. But Rider too isn't affected. He possessed a Noble Phantasm that could nullify A-Rank thaumaturgy. From what I remembered, the magical tome enabled him to cancel spells even if it's Magecraft from the Age of Gods, so he will be very helpful should we truly face a Caster.

"Then Rider is an exception. Probably, this is because..."

"Dragon blood, huh?" Saber conjectured. "You and I do fit the picture but what about this guy?"

"Hey! Stop pointing at me! Also, I have a name you know?!" Issei drawled back.

Holding back a sigh, I really, really didn't want to tell Saber this. Even so, lying in front of a Heroic Spirit was a futile attempt, and such attempt would backfire against someone like Mordred.

As such... "I've told you before about Sacred Gears, right?"

 _And,_ the Servant retorted. Preparing my heart for what would happen, I decided that reinforcing my body right now is better than letting Saber bash my head for not telling her earlier.

"Oi. What's the hold up?" Saber fumed.

"…well… Issei's Sacred Gear hosts the soul of Y Ddraig Goch." I finally answered.

...

 _"What did you just say…?"_ Saber asked in disbelief, but before she could process the truth any further, I halted my steps.

"Found them!" I _exclaimed_ to notify everyone.

There were no students around. The usually rowdy school was completely deserted, save for two... No, three people who stood at the center of the sports field.

"Those are..."

A magic circle glowed beneath two of them. I recognized one of them as a white-haired priest while the other was... Judging from the garb exuding faint signs of divinity and from his looks, it must be the heretic Valper Galilei. In front of them were five holy swords which floated in the air while emitting ethereal glows.

"Valper...!" Yuuto hissed.

 _However..._

'Master, something's strange.' Rider whispered.

I wordlessly nodded. Glancing at Saber, she was standing still with her eyes shifting from left to right, up and down.

"Where is 'he'...?" The silver knight almost growled.

"Valper Galilei! What are you trying to do in my territory?" Gremory shouted.

The man in holy garb chuckled. "Of course it is to restore the Excaliburs. Do not worry, Devil. It will soon be finished."

Re...store? I knitted my brows as the magic circle on the ground looked nothing like it had any restorative property. In fact...

"Master, I've got a really baaaad feeling now." This time, Rider voiced out his thought quite clearly.

"Same goes to me, Rider." I replied as I once again placed a hand on my chest with the other bringing up a one-handed sword.

 _"Ah. So you have sensed it then?"_

This voice... Looking upward, there I saw one Fallen Angel sitting leisurely in a floating throne. His gaze was sharp like a blade but a playful smirk adorned his face.

"What do you mean, Kokabiel?" I inquired him, agitation slowly growing inside my heart.

How could I not? He was the one who taught me wisdom. He helped me in adapting to current society without asking for any reward. Yet, he attacked my friends, incited this thievery incident and suddenly announcing that he wished to wage war comparable to the Great War.

He had deluded his ways just to get what he wanted. He probably would not care what he must sacrifice as long as he could achieve his goal.

"There is no need to be upset. Is it wrong to praise the one I recognize as my 'son'?" The Fallen replied with another question.

Of course there was a ripple after the stone was thrown. I could feel gazes put on my back but I ignored them and simply tightened my grip over my sword's hilt.

"I am not your son." I bluntly stated. "And I've had enough of this farce. Why are you doing this?"

Kokabiel went quiet but only for several moments. He left his throne, the object vanishing the moment he left it and his ten black wings flapped open

"It is simple," He said as he raised a hand. "To fight my war, of course."

Even before words reached my tongue, I had already moved alongside my Servants. We broke out in three directions - and a pillar of light rained down like lightning.

"Saber! Rider!" I yelled out their names.

"Got it! Trap of Argalia!" Rider summoned his golden lance and sped forward.

"Stop ordering me around, dolt!" Saber roared as she prepared a stance to enact prana burst.

However, I suddenly heard bestial roars. I halted my advance when I turned around... And saw Gremory with her entire Peerage attacked by three beasts.

Their bodies were black with four thick limbs. Their claws seemed to ooze corrupted scent, and saliva dripped down from _three canine mouths_.

"That's...!" I gasped in surprise. "Cerberus?! And three of them...!? But how-"

 _"Where are you looking!?"_

I backpedaled and another pillar of light poured down the spot I was on before. Then came another. And another. And another.

"Hah ha! Now now! Running away is unbecoming, don't you think?" Kokabiel's voice traveled faintly in the midst of the rumbling attacks.

Each attack was fast. Incredibly fast even after I reinforced my sensory organs to the limits. Light was in a realm of its own but to those who had long breached the mortal realm, I could at least predict the next emergence place of the light pillar.

Even so, I was alerted by powerful presences from the outside of the bounded fields. Allied reinforcement? No, this is too fast. Could it be...!

"Ah, my comrades! It has been a long while, isn't it?" Kokabiel raised his head, smiling savagely.

"What - _ouwagh!?_ " A voice I realized as Rider's echoed.

Shifting my sight, there I saw him confronting another group of Fallen Angels. Dozens of them. These ones were wearing armors, wielding what I think as enchanted lances, swords and shields, plus a batch of elemental magic users.

Also, they are not weak. I noticed they are a few level below Rider in terms of overall strength but with numbers, they evened up the odds perfectly. _Almost too perfectly,_ in fact.

But suddenly, I heard booming sound that signaled breaches over sound barrier. Immediately raising the one-handed sword, a black bullet crossed through the fields out of nowhere.

I saw her form, graceful yet deadly. I saw her body bursting with overflowing prana. And I saw silver blur that intercepted her.

The air literally _exploded._ Fierce winds scattered everywhere and shattering the school windows.

I was flung backwards but noticing the pillars of light relentlessly pestering me, I quickly recovered and dodged them through sheer honed instincts. In the meanwhile, half of my focus was captured by obsidian sword clashing against black sword.

"Hah...! It's you! So it really _is_ you!" Saber laughed within the showers of orange sparks.

In the next moment, silver light erupted from her body and she knocked away her opponent. When the light faded, it was reignited and the earth shattered, flying into the sky as slabs of debris.

"AAAAARTHUUUUUUUUUURRR!" The Knight of Treachery howled in pure rage.

Like a crazed beast she charged forward, brandishing silver sword that glowed with blood red radiance. In a step and she had reached another side of the school field, the winds she produced gouging the land as swords collided for the second time.

However, the King of Knights seamlessly avoided the first attack, countering with a cut which was deflected as if her move was read beforehand. The Knight of Treachery laughed mockingly and used the momentum by executing five powerful slashes.

"Hmph!" The Black Knight snorted, black light erupted from her entire body as she leaped to strike back.

Her stomp shattered the earth she previously stood on, blowing away broken shards of the ground within a storm of winds. Her swings of sword precise without the slightest hesitation – and Saber Alter nullified Saber of Red's attacks perfectly.

Each collision resounded like explosion, tearing my hearing due to my proximity with the ensuing battle.

Each attack scarred the surroundings, turning the flat field into jagged wasteland befitting a battlefield.

Each knight refused to back down, fighting with all that they have to take down their sworn enemy.

Witnessing the spectacular duel between heroes, a whisper slipped into my mind–

 _Transcending time and space, the King's and the Traitor's fates once again crossed each other._

* * *

 **-Author's Rambling-**

 _"Sorry, I've got too much stuff to work on in college."_

I know it sounds like an excuse, but art faculty is draining both my time and wallet like broken faucet. It's tough to even pay attention to e-mail when my hands and eyes are tied by several projects worked at the same time. Hell, I haven't even watched tv for two weeks in a row now. I feel so uninformed...

Besides that, this chapter is short. I can't think of any other way to end the chapter except placing the opening for Camlann 2.0 as a cliffhanger. Yes, I know it's a dirty move. Sue me. It's not like I can afford much time in writing right now since I would make low-quality stuff whenever I rushed things up and _by no means will I allow myself to make crappy battle scenes_. A quiet and leisure moment is one I can wholeheartedly appreciate due to granting me better chances to rake up ideas.

Oh. By the way, do note that nonhumans in this story here don't have human limitations applied on them so if Servants who are closer to Elementals can break sound barrier, then of course Devils and the likes can still see them clearly. I've decided to crank up the powerlevel on DxD side to better suit their natures. It's just weird that they (nonhuman races excepting Reincarnated Devils/Angels) fight like humans when their bodies are far above them to do insane feats.

Last thing, I might have blurted out quite a hideous truth in the previous chapter(s) Ramblings but that's not all the secrets I have. The truth is far, _far_ deeper than it and I haven't explained every important thing so... Have a nice headache? May your curiosity kill your cat?

* * *

 **RAC!**

Snorlax-kun: Hm, that's an interesting bits, yes. But as always, I'd prefer using Fate-series' material books as references so I will check on them for further authenticity. Also, it's Ahoge.

King0fP0wers: Well, I'm not too proficient in using moon language but the essence of Mordred's fighting style isn't based on honor, but survival. She's not going to go down just because she has no weapons, and she actually uses her fists and legs and even her teeth as long as she can win. Also, she's a natural genius in fighting so she's a troublesome opponent if left alone for too long.

Mr. Tanaka: To be honest, I decided to stop worrying about Solomon's position since my headcanon is Gilgamesh = Strongest Heroic Spirit. Not sure about characterization but wiki isn't helpful in researching characters. I write them by taking in what they usually do, their body language, their speech manners, even their habits and idle thoughts so as to make sure they are sticking close to their canon selves. Summing it up, I write the characters from my impressions of them in the novels/original sources. Also, I think the same too about characters with mental scars. It's poor manner for a writer to not use what they have.

Haunted Ground: Rankings... huh? The Servant containers are more humanlike here and Fate/Extra's HGW works in a different system compared to Fuyuki's. Most people always shrugged it off but Extra has the Servants without limiter and their stats can be manipulated, which give more advantages to people such as Tamamo. To begin with, the Servants in that series are known as Legendary Souls rather than Heroic Spirits so they are fundamentally different to canon Servants. Well, Brynhildr's strength is dependent on her opponent though at least she can ruin Tokyo within minutes if she goes all-out.

Student: Ah ha ha... Sorry, sorry. College life is harsh so I sometimes forget paying attention to my health. Well, you can see how the battle begins here.

RandomBoredGuy: Hey, what do you mean by that? Who's falling in love at first sight? I don't think I have set up any romance flag yet for Sieg.

Kirin: Why, let us hope that the dice is not rolling up the bad number then. *laughs creepily*

Kaiser Dragon: I see that you have _colorful_ imagination there, my dear reader.

Guest-san: According to Stay Night, Spiritual form requires the Servant to keep still for a moment and focus themselves to astralize. So... using that logic in the battlefield where heroes can break sound barrier by jumping forward... You're already dead, by then.

Shaker: Spoiling is bad, yo! The freshness will rot if I tell you!

Mard Geer: When the issues are too personal, I'm thinking of making their own character arcs. Canon points can still happen off-screen so rating games and the likes can remain undisturbed. Be at ease, for I do not intend to commit harem steals.

Knight of Steam: To be very honest, I'm a poor dense fool who can't get it right when romancing, so I often consulted with more experienced people around me about lots of things. Imagine my surprise when I recounted my high school days, and they pointed out a girl (actually) had a crush on me when I thought she was just being overly friendly.

CCG's Ninja: Yes, they do for the pieces. And it'll be an interesting section to discuss about.

Erastone: Can do it but real life circumstances said otherwise, so I'm stuck between a rock and a hard place.

CCC: I'm alright. Just have too much homework to clean up.

Azrael: Thank you. May I know what your thoughts about the story?

Thunder Dragon: #1. Counterbalance & powerlevel: Yeah. I'm having the same thought too since Dragons are indiscriminate in Nasuverse. However, I just remembered Sieg can _literally_ breathe in prana from the environment so it's already an advanced application of Senjutsu. Also, post-apo Sieg has the ability 'Galvanism' which enables him to absorb external prana/mana even more efficient and quickly so it's a bit difficult what else he can gain from learning Senjutsu. I _do_ have the obligation to make this story kept in the right track, after all. The least I can do is not to stack up his strength without clear reason in using said new power, especially if it turns out as useless for him.

#2. About ADAD: Mm… It's not that I hate the story. I just don't like the premises used in it. It's good but not up to my standards. It'd have been better if the protagonist is not Minato, since Endgame-Minato is as overused as Shirou-'Distorted'-Emiya.

#3. Question about possible descendants: Well, who knows? It can be a fun thing to look forward to, a horrifying plot device many people would try to use, or maybe nothing important to the plot at all. Honestly, I'm going to run blind soon so I'm going to take it slow in outlining the story, and let the pieces fall in places. Forcing ships to sail is just asking for quick sinking like Titanic and we know we don't want to crash into an iceberg all of a sudden, no?


	14. Chapter 13 - Revealed Truth

**Flash News:** Servants Selection has ended. Thank you for your inputs! By the way, credits go to Type-Moon and Ishibumi for writing wonderful pieces of work that inspired me to write this story.

* * *

Signing documents like a madman, a crimson-haired man shouted "Next!" to his trusted assistant to provide him the remaining tasks he must do.

"My lord, here is the last batch!" The assistant dressed in light blue haori placed the stacks of papers on the desk.

The man—Sirzechs Lucifer nodded. "Thank you, Okita. After this, we can finally move out."

The former captain of the Shinsengumi smiled in response. It further eased the crimson-haired man's heart from panic.

It had only been fifteen minutes ago that a message appeared. At first Sirzechs believed it was just a regular report, but the truth spoke otherwise. It wasn't an everyday occurrence for a high-ranked Fallen Angel to appear in a Devil's turf.

Even worse, it was a leading figure of Grigori – Kokabiel.

 _Is it related with the rogue Fallen Angels from before,_ Sirzechs thought for a brief moment. Unfortunately, any trivial thought was laid forgotten by the time he processed the documents.

The world consisted only him and the documents until two light knocks upon a wooden object echoed. He knew that rhythm well enough his lips twitched upward.

"You may enter, Grayfia." So the Satan responded while batting an eye to see his beloved.

One of the thick wooden doors opened and a silver-haired woman in a maid uniform entered. His gaze softened for seeing his Queen but...

"Sirzechs _-sama_ , there is a guest who would like to meet you." The Strongest Queen said.

Donning his friendly smile, Sirzechs nodded and the maid bowed down. She turned on her heels to receive the guest.

"My lord…" The former leader of Shinsengumi whispered.

"…Ah." The current Prince of Lies furrowed his eyebrows. "It has been a while, Shalba. How have you been?"

The person—no, the Devil named Shalba snorted in disdain. Out in the open, and towards a Devil bearing the position of 'Lucifer', nonetheless. Such disrespect would have caused various issues but Sirzechs was not in the mood to address them.

"Sirzechs, I see you are still as weak-minded as ever," Shalba Beelzebub said. "Mobilizing an army without consulting with the entirety of the council... How far are you trying to lower yourself despite bearing the title of 'Lucifer'?"

Both his Peerage members did not react but Grayfia in particular had her eyes flashing a sharp glint. Sirzechs knew the reason, but he could not let more troubles delaying their plan.

 _Besides, what are words when they are not backed with the strength to prove them?_

"This issue is of national interests, Shalba," The Satan replied. "We cannot let another war to happen. There are far too many dangers, and far too little to gain."

"And yet you still call yourself a Satan, the leading figure of all Devils." The descendant of the Beelzebub scoffed. "But no matter. If that is so, then there is something that you may need to know then."

Uneasiness flooded into the crimson-haired Devil's mind, but he chose to wait and see. It was already rare for a member of the Old Satan Faction to come all the way here just to inform him. _But what is his aim-_

"It seems there are suspicious movements in the capital. What are you going to do with them?"

 _Suspicious movements…?_

"What do you mean by that, Shalba?" Sirzechs inquired.

But that might have been a mistake. He noticed the eerie gleam in the Devil's eyes. He knew that wicked light. He had seen them, and knew what was hiding in it. Unfortunately, there was no way for him to confirm the truth right now.

 _At least not without a physical proof._

"So you know nothing even though you are in this place, here, in this region you rule in…?" The guest snorted, holding back a laughter.

His wording made it harder to understand. Even Sirzechs felt the descendant of the original Beelzebub was being far too overbearing.

"Lord Beelzebub, may we implore you to tell us what these 'movements' are?" Grayfia finally asked.

And only when she did that that the Devil supporting the Old Satan Faction responded. He met her gazes, and though there was still a sign of mockery in his eyes, he did not look down on her.

"So be it then. Unfortunately, this will take some times so…" He paused before widening his smirk. "It will be too much for you to even pay attention when you are still working, no? I can wait, though it will cost the trusts your people placed on you, _Sirzechs Lucifer._ "

The Satan pursed his lips, almost showing a scowl. _Is that how it is then…?_

There were too many inconsistencies in the documents he checked. Most of them came from the Old Satan Faction, a group loyal to the old way of thinking and the previous Satan. Ever since their crushing defeat, they had become passive until now.

Sirzechs knew not of their true agendas, but it wasn't far-fetched for them to pressure him. _And it is not uncommon for many radicals to have the same belief in restarting the Great War just like Kokabiel…_

"…I understand. If so, please have a seat." Sirzechs once again smiled and gestured with a hand.

But the other hand hidden from his political enemy's sight clenched so hard it turned pure white. All sorts of emotions hidden from all but his closest allies and family. Although it was not his fault, the man wished for nothing but to berate himself at the moment.

 _Please be safe, Rias…_

* * *

Rias had learned it all, but this was still far beyond her wildest expectations.

As swords clashed, air erupted and earth was carved open. Two knights then became blurs which streaked through the courtyard, fighting like storms. At a point, one of them became distracted and sent flying into the school building.

Not wasting the chance, a silver knight plowed through the clouds of dirt.

"OOOOOOOOOOHHH!" The full-armored knight lashed a sword slash, destroying a large part of the building.

Her attack missed, and she immediately looked up. Her opponent was scaling the walls with extreme ease. Saber snarled and scaled the building in a similar manner, becoming blurs once again. Not even gravity could hold them down from fighting.

It was even more astounding for the two of them were _humans_ and nothing else.

"Freaking hell!" Issei cursed in utter disbelief. "How the hell are they...? What the hell kind of... oh, _hell!_ "

Rias had to admit his mutterings and repetition of 'hell' described everyone's thought completely. For him to reach his dream, the ensuing battle was a place he must live through. As for Rias, she could only think of one word.

 _Fear._

It wasn't awe that caused her to stay rooted in place. It wasn't amazement or disbelief that made her to watch the spectacle. Fear overcame her and whispered that she was no match to them no matter how strong she was.

 _But for humans to be_ this _strong... Were all legendary heroes fought in this manner? If that is so, then could it be that Sieg-kun too..._

"Oh my. We will need a mountain of explanation after this." Akeno chimed in. "Don't you think so too, Buchou?"

"Ah… Y-yeah."

Rias had to agree, otherwise she would have panicked just like her Pawn was. It would be too unbecoming for a King to be incapable of remaining calm even in the most absurd situation.

Rias cleared her throat. "You are right, Akeno. But we must survive this first."

Though saying that, the dueling Servants proved to be a good distraction for her group. In fact, the three Cerberus feared the battle between heroes that they became easy preys.

Still the Heiress of Gremory sighed, "I just hope he can buy us enough time. We know far too well that Kokabiel is pulling all the stops on us."

Glancing at the second battlefield, rains of light descended like a storm. But it was monotonous and she could tell that the Fallen Angel was just playing around with his foe.

Narrowing her eyes, she watched the silver-haired boy struggling his way out. "I don't get it. He's a human right?"

"Kaichou-san spoke otherwise though. I think she even heard him saying he was a homunculus."

 _A homunculus? As in, that product of alchemy and heretical magic to make an artificial, perfect human?_

"But Sona said..."

"Well, she said there's not enough proof, and I do have to agree with her in this."

"...that may be so. I haven't heard of an artificial human gifted with Sacred Gear. And what kind of homunculus would smell like a dragon?"

Though saying that, Rias considered if the chances were zero or not. Her intuition told her that she still missed something critical about the mysterious boy. _It feels as if he has yet to explain_ everything _to us…_

In the end, the pure-blooded Devil chose to set the topic aside in light of their next predicament. She decided to take a note and remind her to investigate more deeper after this incident is over.

"Well, then. What will you do now, Valper Galilei?" Rias demanded. "You have caused a great deal of problems in my territory. Don't think you can leave unscathed now."

The man who was the source of her Knight's suffering laughed. He didn't seem perturbed at all even though the situation had become a stalemate.

It irked Rias as much as it made her suspicious.

"Now, now. There is still someone that wishes to kill you," He said. "Freed. You can use the Excalibur now."

Light flashed and caught everyone off-guards. It seemed like a harmless distraction but Rias winced in pain. _It's not an ordinary lightshow...! Could it be a spell with holy attribute?!_

"Right right. My superiors sure like slaving the underlings." A new voice echoed within the blank world. "But but! Now I can kill some more shitty Devils with the greatest holy sword in history! Hyahaa!"

 _Damn! This is bad—_

"Sorry to say but that trick is getting kind of old!"

As sounds of impact echoed, a scream went up and faded away. The light dissipated and Rias' sight returned back to normal. She blinked upon seeing the stray exorcist's collapsed figure and yelped. There was a huge winged beast in front of her.

"Hey hey! You think you have the right to swing around somebody's sword when you stole it?" A girl in chainmail and leather clothes shouted as she pulled the rein of the beast. "Shame on you, dirty thief! This _Astolfo_ will _never_ forgive anyone who will lay harm on the ladies!"

"Wh-what is that!?"

"That's… A Hippogriff?! Impossible!"

Almost everyone gaped upon witnessing the beast with the head and wings of an eagle and the body of a lion. Rias who was staring at it from up close couldn't even hide her awe as the exotic mythical creature howled. Its voice resounding like a song instead of a rough roar of a mindless beast.

 _But did she just introduce herself as 'Astolfo'…?_

"W-wait!" Asia shouted from behind. "A-Astolfo… Could it be… the Twelfth Paladin of Charlemagne, Astolfo-sama!?"

The pink-headed Rider flashed a toothy grin. "Ayyup! That's me alri—ah!? Did I just blurt out my real name _again!?_ "

 _'_ _Again'…?_ A small part of Rias' mind wondered at her silliness. Unfortunately for her, there was no use since she caught flashes of light coming down from the sky.

"Dodge!" The Devil screamed and scrambled away with her Peerage.

"Oh! Whoa!?" The Rider whose name was Astolfo yelped as the Hippogriff flew and avoided a barrage of light arrows. "Well, damn! They're so persistent, geez!"

Even though she said it as carefree as possible, there was no denying the sign of wariness in her voice. Rias followed her gaze, identifying Fallen Angels who blocked the way to both Freed and Valper.

"Tch…! One after another… At this rate, it won't end!" Turning impatient, Yuuto growled.

Rias almost thought the same but a certain Paladin denied the chance for desperation.

Taking out a golden-tipped lance, the Hippogriff's rider shouted, "Oh, come on, blondie! Stop getting hung up about everything!"

"What did you say…?!"

Before Kiba could turn his head to glare at her, Astolfo kicked the Hippogriff's belly. It shrieked and the beast took flight while sending out powerful whirlwinds. The Devils and the Exorcists were almost blown away.

 _Un-unbelievable! Even Onii-sama's Griffon can't be_ that _fast in such a short timeframe! So it really_ is _a Hippogriff!_

"Come on, you stupid crows! This Paladin will be your enemy so get your eyes off my Master's friends!"

Shouting that, the third Servant began a fierce battle in the sky.

"Th-that's reckless…! Even if it's _the_ Astolfo-sama, she's still outnumbered!" Asia exclaimed in fear.

That was right. No matter how strong a Servant was, Rias almost forgot that they are still humans. They could get wounded, and they could die. And out of the ones she had seen, the Paladin seemed the closest figure she could relate to.

She did not give off overwhelming pressure like Kokabiel did. She spoke and fought in a manner that was far more normal than the two knights. Most of all…

 _Unlike those people, it feels as if she's standing in a position we can still reach. Does this mean Servants have varying strength and ranks?_

"I will support her." Someone suggested, and everyone turned their attention to Xenovia Quarta. "I have a debt that must be repaid. The Lord knows that not returning kindness of others will mean betrayal to my faith."

"…Are you sure you can help her? She is up in the sky." Rias pointed out.

The Exorcist shrugged, "No problem. Exorcists like me aren't chosen just because of my strength alone. Besides…"

As her voice faded, the blue-haired Exorcist stared at the flying Hippogriff.

"…I have my own way to help, even without Excalibur Destruction." She finished.

The amount of conviction residing in her words baffled Rias, but it seemed she had resolved herself. Giving a cursory glance at her superior, Jeanne too shook her head and raised her hands up in resignation.

"…Alright. But I think you should at least bring another—"

"Thaaaaatt hurrrttsss! That bitch! How dare she…! Had I not used Excalibur-chan, I'd have seriously died! That would be soooo uncool!"

 _Ugh! Why is everyone interrupting me from finishing my line today!?_

* * *

"Hah! It seems that the stage has been all set!" Kokabiel laughed as he formed a spear of light and fired it down.

I dodged the projectile once again but another appeared and struck my Magic Resistance. The ability that protected me from any Magecraft dissolved and I jumped away, only for the spear to shatter and exploded.

"Gh…!" I grunted, the sword in my hand shattering apart.

The feedback explained everything to me. A spear of light, but it was not a conjured spell for the sake of harming the target.

It was just _a lump of prana condensed and thrown around_.

"I see… No wonder my resistance does not affect it. As long as it is not recognized as a spell, anything goes through it."

To think he would realize the mechanism of a Dragonkind's Magic Resistance…

By essence, my Magic Resistance is like the one Saber owned. Those with the blood of the Dragon or bearing a 'factor' of it would change their body in some way or another. One example would be the replacement of Magic Circuits with a Magic Core. And Kokabiel's Servant is _the_ King Arthur.

Be it knowledge or power... the Servant would give everything he required as long as it was within her lines. It was absurd. How could he gain the favors of a Heroic Spirit…? But regardless...

"What do you mean by 'the stage is all set'?" I asked. "What are you plotting next, Kokabiel?"

The torrents of light had long stopped. The cacophony of battle existed only in the sky and within the battle between two Sabers. I could feel everyone's prana signatures but it seemed my concern remained unfounded.

The Devils and the Exorcists are still alive. They are still fighting without losing anyone, or even forced to retreat. If this were a Holy Grail War, such thing would have been an impossible feat to do.

"HAAAAAAAAAA!" A howl shattered my reverie and I looked to the side, finding the duel between a parent and a child.

But the spectacle was not normal. I didn't expect Saber to rampage while letting loose Clarent's amplification ability. I couldn't even expect how her opponent could fight back without breaking a sweat.

Then I felt the surges of emotions transferring through our contract link. I couldn't help but to clench my left hand so tight it went white.

"Well, well. Don't you think it is beautiful, young man?" The Fallen Angel looking down upon me inquired.

I scowled. "What is beautiful in family killing each other?"

It was a sickening feeling to even consider about. How could someone be so happy watching a family tore itself apart from within? How could one laugh as both the parent and the child wished for each other's death?

"There is nothing beautiful in this battle, and yet you are enjoying it." I breathed in. "If the war you wish for is a future where such thing will repeat itself… Then why did you extend your hand to me?"

No… That's not it. That's not what I wish to know. There could be many answers to that question. As such…

"…it does not matter to you anymore, is it? Anything except the 'truth'."

Looking ahead, the Fallen Angel finally wiped his smirk. As he descended down, his black ten wings fluttered before folding. Without forgetting situation, his spear of light manifested in his hand, his guards raised.

"Indeed," He began. "There is nothing that matter other than finishing what _we_ started. To begin with, why do we stop after raising our arms?"

"But that is—"

"A foolery, yes. I am aware of it, young man. I am not so foolish that I cannot understand the consequence of my actions. But…"

As his gaze traveled, I followed it and saw a burst of specks of light a small distance away. Those specks of light came from the area of one of the Devils, but that is…

"…Yuuto…?" I wondered aloud at the strange spectacle.

Light surrounded the devil, yet it didn't harm him. In fact, the boy looked uplifted. The specks of light then converged towards him, seeping into his body. Once the light dissipated completely, Yuuto stood up, drawing out a sword from thin air.

That's… Could that be a magical sword? But this strange sense it gave off was unthinkable. In fact, the Knight's sword felt like—

"Again, another rule has been overturned." Kokabiel said and I felt a spike of killing.

I whipped my eyes to find the Fallen Watcher raising his spear of light and throwing it toward Yuuto. The spear flashed like a bolt of lightning, streaking through the air as a straight white arrow.

Turning on my heels, I reinforced my muscles and leaped after it. Even so, there was no way a human could ever hope to rival the speed of a fired arrow. I was too late to react nor could I expect him to turn away from the opponent before his eyes.

What should I do? What am I supposed to do!? In a split second I asked myself those questions, and immediately after I recalled.

 _Dense prana in the—_

" _Logic path\open!_ " I used the keyword and activated my Magic Circuits.

But it didn't end there. Removing a part of my Magic Core's limiter, I opened my mouth and breathed in the prana lying in the atmosphere. When the rate of magical energy I absorbed wasn't enough, I once again cut down the limiter.

"Grhk…! GAAAAAAAH!"

Letting loose a howl like a beast, my next step brought the world into a blur. Exceeding the physical limits of my vessel, I went past the thrown spear. Smashed down my feet into the ground, my body slid and came to a halt several steps away from Yuuto.

The bones of my legs shattered while my blood flow almost reversed. Air was knocked out of my lungs and I heard surprised gasp, yet I ignored it all and raised my great sword overhead.

In the face of the looming attack—

"HAA!" I roared while bringing down the sword, cleaving the energy-turned-projectile in halves.

It flew between us and exploded. I grunted at the intruding shockwave and battering winds, ignoring my ringing ears. Shiffting the sword, two more spears pierced through the clouds of smoke and dirt. The sword deflected one, another was blocked until it dissipated.

"Si-Sieg-kun…!?" Yuuto exasperated.

"Not now." I cut him off as I injected ods down to my feet and healed them.

It was just a first aid treatment but the result was good enough. I spun around and swung the greatsword which stopped the attack of a white-haired man.

"Why you…!?" He shrieked and jumped backward to gain some distances.

So he intended to kill Yuuto from behind? And that sword is… How could such a coward wields a Holy Sword, especially Excalibur? Had Alter and Saber not fighting, the first to die would have been him.

What's more, the light in his eyes… He's already ins—

"Don't look away, Sieg-kun!" Kiba shouted, dashing past me to confront a spear of light.

His strange sword did not slice it nor did the blade shattered. In fact, the sword _absorbed_ the light and dispersed it as harmless glowing dust.

"So you noticed?" Yuuto remarked, reforming his stance with our backs against each other. "This is Holy-Demonic Sword, the Sword of Betrayer. My Sacred Gear has attained a Balance Breaker thanks to my friends."

Holy-Demonic Sword…?

…glancing at Yuuto, I could no longer see any shadows of clouds in his eyes. At the same time, I noticed how the air surrounding him had changed. Through my eyes, it seemed something had changed within him. Is it related to those specks of light?

But…

"It seems you have gained your 'resolution'." I surveyed the surroundings once again, glaring at the white-haired exorcist.

Yuuto chuckled. "You are right. But I think as long as this incident is not resolved, then I do not think I can move forward with my friends."

"Is that so? Then—"

Without wasting a single moment, we turned around and charged forward. I headed straight towards Kokabiel, while Yuuto confronted the wielder of the reforged Excalibur.

"Hoh!?"

"Why you…?!"

Steel clashed, sparks scattered. Locking gazes with Kokabiel, I took a step forward. With my reinforced body, I deflected his spear. The clear sound of shattered glass echoed while I stepped forward and slashed at his abdomen.

The sword shattered upon contact, leaving behind only a small chip of iron embedded in his skin. Only a small trickle of blood seeped out.

"Hah ha…! How interesting! So you can wound me after all!" The Watcher cackled.

I clicked my tongue and leaped backward. But as I floated in midair, I extended my hand forward and fired blades formed from a spell. They struck Kokabiel yet again but he only staggered without receiving much harm.

How tough is he!?

"Lightning!" A shout came and drowned by a descending lightning.

The enemy unfolded his wings and the giant thunderbolt vanished as if it never existed.

"Ah, that's right! I forgot about you all, Devils. And that was…" Kokabiel's lips twitched upward. "So you have chosen to oppose me, daughter of Barakiel."

Barakiel…? I raised an eyebrow at how Himejima continued casting lightning spell. Even though there was no use in doing it... I could surmise that there was something about the name, but still, I must concentrate on the task at hands.

"Dragon Shot!" Someone shouted out and a green ray of light struck Kokabiel.

I glanced to the side and saw Issei with his armored hand extended forward. The green jewel of the Sacred Gear glowed as it once again strengthened his body.

Even so, judging from his eyes… No, from all the Devils present here, none was not growing desperate. I watched the smokes dissipated yet as if proving my claim, the Fallen Angel was still unharmed.

"Ugh! Just how strong is he!?"

Huh…?

"Jeanne…?" I blinked as I found the Exorcist standing next to me.

I wasn't even aware of her presence until now. Was I focusing on Kokabiel too much that I neglected my surroundings?

"Hm! You fought well, Sieg-kun," The Inheritor of Heroic Spirit said, patting my shoulder. "But now that most of the big wigs are getting taken care of, it's a given that I should help you."

"…what about the other one?" I pointed out.

"She's helping your friend, or should I say, meeting a fellow hero?" The blonde young woman shrugged.

But she shot me a glare. I felt uncomfortable receiving it and she continued on.

"Sieg-kun, _that one_ is like the real Paladin. She even has a magical lance _and_ a Hippogriff. How come you didn't tell me what she can do?"

Ah… So that's it. I wasn't trying to hide it but I guess my efforts in taking precautions backfired completely. Was my—our credibility doubted then? No wonder Sitri was against of my involvement.

Without any foundation, the quality of a structure will always be questioned.

"I'm… sorry?" I tilted my head, not knowing what to say.

"Sheesh, why are you apologizing?" Jeanne shook her head and smiled a bitter smile. "It's not like I'm upset but you should have at least told us. I wouldn't have been worried about allowing any of you to fight in this battle otherwise."

Casting my gaze down on the ground, I felt shames and guilt building in my heart. But once again a soft hand patted my head and I looked up at the smiling Exorcist.

"Well, we're here anyway so let's get this show on the road!" She exclaimed and drew out a holy rapier.

Transferring our gazes to the battlefield before our eyes, I poised a stance. Kokabiel's attentions taken by the combination attacks from Issei, Toujo and Himejima. Gremory stood a little further behind with Argento hiding behind her back. Perhaps to both guard the healer while sending out spheres of destruction at the enemy.

"No matter how hopeless the situation is, let's continue struggling!" Jeanne stated. _"Because the Lord is here with us!"_

I widened my eyes, stilling for a split second. But even so, I suppressed and swallowed the lump in my throat and nodded.

"…Ah. That's true." I closed my eyes and reopened them, fixating my gaze on the amused Fallen Angel. "You are right, Jeanne. Let us go then."

The Exorcist's smile widened. "Right, Sieg-kun!"

* * *

Every swing of sword cleaved the winds, and with every movement the earth quaked. Everything shattered, scattered, and turned into ruins.

"Weak! Is that all you have!?" One knight drawled, her silver armor clinking as she charged forward.

Her ornate sword howled, clashing against a tainted sacred sword. Sparks flew, yet the collision between steel masses did not stop. Again and again, the two weapons of bygone era struck each other.

Even so, the two Sabers refused to retreat.

Not the Once and Future King who devoted his entire life to save his country.

Nor could it be her, not the Treacherous Knight who dreamed to be a king surpassing the Once and Future King.

After the fifteenth clash, the entire right wing of the building crumbled. The two disengaged before landing on the ground, avoiding descending rubble. The silver knight stepped back into the courtyard, and pointed her silver sword at her foe.

"What does this mean?" She muttered out with a snarl. "Since when did your sword become so light?! Is that all the weight of your pitiful reign has to you, _father!?_ "

Mordred had noticed the oddity from the first strike. She knew far too well what it felt like being at the receiving end of Excalibur's blade. And she was the only one who was capable of stealing the King of Knight's flawless swordsmanship.

Exactly because of that she understood the 'weight' within the king's sword.

"You, the Perfect King, has never flinched, even with the end of your reign crashing down upon you! _You_ of all people know how much you yearn for your country's salvation! Who are you, you fake!"

And so she believed.

She knew there was no possible way for her 'father' to wield the Excalibur with hollow will. She knew him far too well that only she could understand his burdens. For the two carried the cruel fate of living as nonhuman.

Thus, the answer should have been obvious—

 _"It does not matter to me."_

Mordred's sword faltered. She heard it as clear as daylight. She recognized that utter indifference. She knew that complete detachment as much as she loathed to hear it for the second time.

But when her mind finally comprehended that answer—

 _'The king does not understand the people's feelings.'_

She gasped, air freed from her lungs. And yet the anger brought forth from her heart almost brought her to move and behead her father. The girl suppressed it as best she could but her words, choked with wrath and disbelief slipped out.

"And you... dare to call yourself a king...!? You still dare to carry your legend, with that sort of sword, and with that sort of nonsense!? What kind of Heroic Spirit are you, father!?"

The Tyrant observed with indifferent mask. He did not falter. He did not even flinch nor budge in the face of his 'son's' accusation. That expression was the perfect illustration of a wise ruler and yet it was the furthest from a human.

"Yet again, it does not matter," The Servant replied. "Our lives. Our glories. Our prayers and honors. Everything has vanished that day, on that hill littered with corpses. There is no point to dwell with the pasts, for you and I – our legend has ended a long time ago."

Without exaggerating it, the Once and Future King delivered his conclusion. He did not lie, nor did he impose his will upon others, not even at the traitor who ruined his reign. And yet...

Anyone could tell that there was no longer any point to continue the talk.

"...Ar...thur...!" The silver knight growled, her voice scathing like that of an enraged beast.

In the face of the rebelling knight, the king sneered in disdain.

"Fool," He said. "Repeating the same mistake makes you the biggest fool. It is why you do not have the capacity to become a king, _Mordred._ "

The silver knight's entire body was clad in blood red light. Bright and radiant that it was enough to make any observer holding their breaths in fear and awe. Her helmet split open in two, becoming one with the silver armor.

Red lightning sparked to life from her sword. It then transformed as if unlocking a hidden mechanism, making a distinctive sound. Drawing Clarent overhead, the Knight of Treachery's wanton hatred amplified the prana it emitted.

In response, the Black-tainted Tyrant twirled his sword and held it with his two hands. The tip of the black blade pointed to the heaven before sinister black flame consumed it whole.

"Clarent—"

"Excalibur—"

The Noble Phantasms howled. The ultimate weapons of Servants activating through the pronouncement of their True Names. The time for the decisive blow had arrived so quickly that not even honor or glory mattered anymore. Thus-

"Blood Arthur!"

"Morgan!"

Black blaze and crimson lightning raced out and crashed into each other. The two streams of destructive light attempted to swallow each other while annihilating all that was within the area.

And once the two light dissipated into specks of dust, the battle had ended.

"So you still wish to stand in my way?" A knight asked in the midst of white smokes and scattering dirt. "If so, it is time for your execution, _Mordred._ "

Clarent fell and stabbed to the ground. Clinging onto the hilt as if it was her last lifeline, the Treacherous Knight wheezed in extreme pain. Crimson tainted her golden blonde hair and fair face. A large diagonal gash crossing down her torso created a pool of lifeblood below her feet.

The difference was only a second. In that exact moment, the victor had emerged.

 _She_ had lost. _Again._

 _No. No no no! Not like this! Not in this way…!_

Gnashing her teeth, the former Saber of Red looked up only to witness a wave of black flame. Despite her paralyzed body, the Servant brought her ornate sword up as a shield.

Alas, her strength was already expended. Her body flew away and bounced off the grounds before finally stopping.

"Gah…!" Spatting out a chunk of blood, Mordred trembled.

Even so, she clawed the grounds, picked up her silver sword and stood up. Her figure was anything but majestic or elegant that even the heartless would pity her.

 _But I don't need it. I don't need pity! I don't need anything like compassion! I am the king that will surpass my father! I am the_ son _of the King of Knights, Arthur Pendragon! I am…!_

"Fool," A cold, penetrating voice pierced through the red haze. "So even without God, you still believe that you are worthy to rule our homeland?"

All thoughts laid forgotten, the knight choked in bewilderment. Her emerald eyes reflected the stoic figure of her king, and he continued on.

"You do not even know that?" He scoffed. " _Of course you wouldn't._ Your Master is far too kind to deserve _someone like you._ "

"What… do you… What did you—"

Narrowing his eyes, the King released a hand from Excalibur and lowered the blade down. Once he exhaled, he cast his gaze to another place with his 'son' following in suite. Distances away, witnessing the battle between their respective Masters.

"In this world where the Phantasm lives on to this day…" He began. "The God I pledged my oath to has perished."

* * *

 **-Author's Rambling-**

 _"I'm being Rude Today so Take My Words with a Grain of Salt."_

And so, it begins. How should I say it...? I'm sorry for the delay? College has been hectic since one of the mentors wished to accelerate the schedule so the deadline has been cut into two meetings at most. And you know what?

It's horrible. Period.

Now, next issue. The chapter is quite insignificant since we've reached the second part. It took me a whole lot of time and effort to manage it since there are so many battle fronts to explore, but what do you know? Mordred lost! A Servant, and it's the ally! _In her Arc too!_ You think a mere inferior copy (her stats are a rank lower than Arturia in canon) can defeat the original? Ha! Sorry but this story will feature not only have character development, but also physical troubles where it will look like insurmountable walls blocking the path. And i meant it. Seriously.

For the third part, I'd like to tell you all about the FoZ crossover. After some recheck on the light novel and canon materials... _I don't have the heart to finish it._ Since the anime is totally a garbage after second season, I wanted to use the LN but the latest volume sent chills down my spine. The spoiler is quite big but basically... the Holy Land is a place you don't want to go to even if floating island will sink in the distant future. There is no doubt that by screwing the summoning ritual, it will mean the crossover will make the Holy Land's designation change and... It's freaking hell for Halkeginia at that point. Just by summoning someone like Sieg won't be enough to drain the horror away from the facts.

As such, I will probably not write it. Not unless there's a way to avoid the inevitable, though maybe it's already wrong to use Type-Moon as the crossed franchise in the first place.

Finally, the reviews. I probably have forgotten this but I think I'll set this simple rule from this point onward:

 **Don't use reviewing corner as chat or things unrelated to the story.**

Reason is simple: **I came here to improve my writing _while having fun doing it._** I have read recent reviews and it felt as if people want to push me to go in their ways rather than letting me have the choice to do it, or just filling the review numbers. It's bothering me since it dropped my hope that I can get the help I needed, and it made me less motivated to write. Even though I'm like this, I have limits in being nice so stop pushing the wrong button or _everyone_ will suffer.

And that's it. I shall take another break to cool my head off... Oh, that's right. No further challenge or story request. I don't have the time or energy to write more than what I have now. Not to mention I'm low on money... Haa, this is why you must be extra careful in arts faculty. Anything can happen. Literally.

* * *

 **RAC!**

King0fP0wers: Yeah... college is hard especially when something strange happened. I agree that Sieg and Issei are similar in that regards, but Sieg is smarter and he's born Magus so he can be ruthless when he's forced to. Of course he preferred not to but circumstances do happen. Meanwhile, you can look forward to another Servant being summoned in book 5. Well... for someone like me, refinement of what you have is a more logical thing to do rather than gaining a new skill and starting from the scratches.

Mard Geer T: Because it's not stealing when the girl hasn't fallen in love with the protagonist? Ah, such is the fickle nature of writing a romance-oriented story. I'm not sure of what people prefer but in _my_ case, I don't see it as red flag if the girl is not already in relationship with someone else. What about later in the future canon? It's called future since it's always changing. Well, I've run past 1st base and aiming for the 2nd base. The 3rd base is... Hmm. You should switch it with 4th base, and let the now-changed 4th base into unknown. There will be _surprises_ if you do change it...

Mr. Tanaka: You've got your clash of NP here. The consequences will be explained in the next chapter! Stay tuned~

The Fool: Hoping is good, but hope isn't always a certainty. Watch out for pitfalls though.

Haunted Ground: Ah, this helps a lot. Tamamo is like a... Divine Being (more so than Brynhildr) so she usually topped everyone else but with the nature of Class-Piece and how the HGW system of Extra not working here, you can say goodbye to bonuses like FTL speed or full-powah-3000-worlds-destroyed thingy. In general, your list explained it all but when it comes to certain things, each Servant has their own advantage and disadvantages so the lines can get blurry quite fast.

Bang: Let's see... she can shapeshift, has monstrous strength ability due to her tale, divinity due to origin, and the power to hack the Grail system to misinterpret her as legible Servant. Kind of forgot the rest but most of her feat is done purely by girlpower to the MAX.

Knight of Steam: It is (un)fortunate that Sieg mirrors Siegfried then. The guy is the epitome of why saving damsel in distress can lead to horrible end. And his parallel counterpart got burned by saving a literal distressed maiden. You can learn a bunch of things from these two no matter how stoic they are.

Noah: Nah. You have to be more possessive for Brynhildr. Even this Mordred is not as overbearing as canon Mordred did but post-apo certainly humbled her in unexpected ways.

Kirin: I prefer using original skills from canon sources with some editing but Tamamo will need heavier tweaking so as not to break the balance or making her look like a weakling.

RandomBoredGuy: Sieg is even more troublesome since his beauty combined the 'too perfect it looks unnatural' beauty of a homunculus with the 'heroically handsome' face of a dragon slaying hero. This will be addressed later though. And... I admit I forgot about the clothing reaction. Sorry, gotta fix previous chapters then.

One Kick Man: Yep.

Peroronchino: You can expect epic beatdown though. Some of the heroes faction's deeds are rather... distasteful, if you think about it.

CCG's Ninja: Yep. Here's the chapter you have long awaited.

Snorlax-kun: Sieg is Mordred's living shame. She prides herself in her strength, personality, deeds, even the way she used her Noble Phantasm. Anything related to her or her legend will be given higher attention and anyone mentioning her father's name will be cut down with no question allowed. Usually, that is. So her NP which has her father's name meant so much that she's absofreakinlutely _infuriated_ at Sieg's survival.

PX-00: Thank you. Would you like to voice your opinions in regard of the story? Maybe something like criticism or best scene?

Thunder Dragon: No to your requests (except the not participating young devils tournament), as stated above. First of all, Merlin is sealed in a different dimension where only the Lady of the Lake can release the seal. Reason why he cannot be summoned as HS is because he's not dead (yet) and cannot be contacted by the planet. Also, while he _can_ be a womanizer, I doubt he forgot getting some 'countermeasures', being a great Magus who can genderbend someone and whatnot. Is there even a need to have a super special snowflake be even more special? I don't get how it is any good being the most famous/strongest/influential/legendary person in the world.

Kaiser Dragon: Same thing as above.


	15. Chapter 14 - Twilight and Falling Star

**Brief Notice:** Small edits. Now with RAC added!

* * *

Swinging two wooden swords, a white-haired man executed a thrust and followed by a circular slash. He stomped the grassy grounds, retreating then aligning the twin swords above his head. At that point he stilled, then he broke his stance and stood upright.

"Fuh… I guess this is more than enough for now." As the man exhaled, cool winds blew from behind his back, easing his mind.

It was a set of simple movements. Just the basic, but the man did not neglect it. He could never when any wrong step could lead to his death.

After all, this was the 'inhuman sword arts' passed down from his ancestors.

Techniques so deadly and impossible to be performed by regular humans. Beauty so mesmerizing it could hide its deadliness. The sword arts themselves didn't even have a standard unlike most orthodox martial arts.

 _Because these sword arts were never meant as anything other than to kill those beyond humans._

What the man learned was his joy. He was proud of these inhuman techniques. He would rather die than letting them rust, for they were what he inherited from his revered ancestor.

"But it's still not enough. If I want to surpass my predecessor, then this can't be the peak I wished for." The man shook his head, steadying his gaze as he pointed the wooden sword's blade towards the sky.

Like many children aspiring to become people greater than their parents, the man's dream too was a childish one. He had poured every effort, every inch of will and wisdom to improve himself. He even went through a certain experiment to better himself, which whitened his hair. But it showed that as a swordsman or as a person…

The man named Sig was still a child living in his dream.

Winds once again blew over the backyard behind the cathedral, and the man curled his lips upward as they scattered to the heaven.

"…The sky is clear today," Sig mused, and then recalled. "I wonder if that girl has finished her mission."

Remembering the problems she left behind hurt his head, so the descendant of the German Hero decided to sit down and relax his muscles. Looking at the linden tree next to him, three swords glistened with ethereal light reflected on their blades.

 _...Right. She's going to be fine wherever she goes. Besides, I've already prepared what punishment will be waiting for her when she returned…_

"But honestly, how can she be so carefree all the time?" Sigfried asked aloud.

"Well, that's because unlike her, you're a prime textbook example of a hero, _Sig-kun_."

 _Ugh_. The white-haired man almost jumped from the sudden intrusion in the backyard. But knowing who that voice originated from caused him to exhale a large one.

"Was that even necessary, Senior Dulio?" The descendant of Hero questioned.

"Oh, come on. This is some verbal tic often used in Japan, you know?" Dulio Gesualdo replied, showing a handbook as thick as novella.

 _'Japanese Language for Dummy'... Where did he buy that thing?_

"And pray tell, why are you suddenly learning Japanese language?" Sig asked.

The descendant of Siegfried wouldn't be surprised if it was for fun. While the man before him was the best Exorcist the Church could ever have, Dulio was as free-spirited as the winds.

Now that he think about it, was he the only normal person in this organization? Sig now felt worried if this was a trial given by the God…

 _Well, whatever the case, I will keep up—_

"Ah, yeah. It seems something nasty happened in Japan, so the higher-ups are busy wondering whether they should send extra member in."

"…huh?"

It was so sudden and surprising that the man could not believe what he was hearing. But as Sig gave his full attentions to his senior, the swords next to him – no, one sword glowed and affected the other like some resonances.

 _'Across the ocean and the mountains.'_

A demonic sword sang.

 _'The one who It waited upon is no longer here.'_

Another demonic sword lamented.

 _'The one who It waited upon – has returned.'_

And the demonic sword that once slayed an Evil Dragon rejoiced.

* * *

"Why can't you all just give up already!?" Rider whined as he rode his Hippogriff to somersault and dodge another pincer attack.

He knew that something was wrong but his fear turned into reality.

His enemies – the Fallen Angels army was utterly dedicated to hold him back from giving aids to his allies, especially his Master.

With utter abandon they threw themselves into his path, getting torn by the beak and claws of the Hippogriff. Some even tasted a skewer through the hearts. And yet, disregarding their fallen comrades, the enemies kept on attacking like relentless tides.

"Ah, man…! You lots are way too simple you can even give that idiot Orlando a run for his money!" Rider complained, kicking the belly of his mount to soar and dive down into the ranks of unholy beings.

The Beast easily broke their formation yet the Fallen Angels swiftly restructured their formations. The lightly-armored ones lining behind the warriors fired full arrays of elemental spells.

But Rider's mount was not any ordinary mythical creature.

A Hippogriff was a mixed breed between a Griffon and a Mare. While featuring distinct traits of the former, it was further strengthened by the traits of the latter. And one of its main characteristic was the Magic Resistance that has almost reached the level of a Dragonkind.

"Like I said…! There's nothing you can do with those tricks!" Rider shouted. "Get out of my way already!"

Rider's order was answered with waves of battle cries, flying arrows and solid javelins.

"Geh! Wait a—"

 _"Get back!"_

His instinct screamed and Rider pulled the rein forcefully, taking a sharp U-turn. In the next moment, a violent wave of holy energy scaled the sky and devoured the volley.

Rider reflexively glanced around, "What was that—"

"There is still some more!"

Just as the voice claimed, another blast of energy soared and devoured those who acted as the mages and artillery units.

Rider made an impressed sound. With the following casualties in the enemy side, the rest scrambled so as not to get wiped out at once. _And without ranged support, the frontline fighters have to do double the efforts…_

"Are you okay, Paladin Astolfo!?" The mysterious helper exclaimed from below.

He looked down and grinned, "Yeah! Thanks a lot – wait, _what!?_ "

The Twelfth Paladin almost did a double take when he identified who his helper was. It was the blue-haired Exorcist from the other day. It wasn't that surprising if she had some tricks under her sleeves but...

Reflected in his eyes was a giant blade of a sword giving off luster akin to a sun. Its design was unwieldy and mismatched compared to the size of the girl. But there was no mistake.

That holy aura. That design. That Holy Sword was—

"Durandal!?" Rider cried out, his jaw dropping down like an idiot he was.

 _How? Why?_ Countless questions popped out in his head but as soon as he caught a flitting figure of a Fallen Angel, the Paladin squashed them and refocused himself.

* * *

My focus was transfixed at the words that split apart the deathly silence.

"It can't be…" I paused, whipping my gaze to the Fallen Angel.

His smirk stretched and threatened to split his face in two. He laughed as he flew and grabbed Issei and Toujo, pulling their arms before smashing the two down to the ground.

"Ise-san! Koneko-chan!" Argento shrieked, but Gremory raised a hand to stop her from going off.

Still, there was no denying that the air surrounding the Heiress had changed. Growing restless and agitated, even her blue eyes glared at Kokabiel with murderous intention. But everyone knew that she was one of the reasons why the enemy was here, thus there would be grave consequences should she leaped in action.

"Do not touch my juniors any further!" Himejima shouted and lightning descended.

The man's black wings swatted it away. He snorted, taking a spear of light and threw it toward the Devil garbed in shrine maiden outfit. She flew back and left its trajectory but suddenly the spear followed and burst out in huge explosion.

"Akeno!" Gremory cried out at the plummeting Queen of Gremory.

"Don't you think you should worry about your 'juniors' more, _Rias Gremory?_ "

Kokabiel kicked the two downed fighters away, sending them flying to Gremory. She gasped and caught Issei while Argento received Toujo with a stumble.

As if losing interests, one of the leaders of Grigori turned to face me.

"Well, now…! It seems that my Servant has won, young man," The Fallen Watcher said. "It is best for you to go to her side now, or history will repeat itself once again."

I clenched my teeth and tightened my grips over my sword hilt. I understood those words far more than I wished to. There was no denying that Saber – Mordred had lost, but it was only natural.

I could tell judging from that blast of dark light alone. Compared to Mordred's Noble Phantasm, Arthur Pendragon's Noble Phantasm was like a tempered blade. Flawless, dispassionate, and also swift that it would no doubt slice even its wielder if not handled well.

Even more, Mordred cannot move after executing her trump card… At this rate, she will…

"…no. I cannot allow myself to do that," I answered, readying my stance. "It is the Servants' domain to fight each other. And it is a battle that holds so much for her. I cannot interrupt her just because I wish to save her."

"Thus, you will not interfere?" Kokabiel tilted his head. "I see that you are placing that child's honor above your selfishness. Your needs outweighed your wants, then."

 _But,_ he added, drawing my attention. My gaze traveled and found the man's smirk wearing off, replaced by a sense of detachment.

"That too, is a mistake I must rectify."

The moment he said that, Kokabiel became a blur. He leaped forward, closing the distance and swinging down a new spear of light.

"Gh…!" I grunted as I blocked the spear in the nick of time.

In the corner of my vision, I saw the blonde Exorcist circling us and throwing holy swords at Kokabiel's back. The black wings of the Fallen changed, their feathers becoming blades that protected him from the magical swords.

"That was _weak_ , La Pucelle." Kokabiel snorted, arrows of light materializing around the ten black wings.

Several, dozens, a hundred… The amount of the magical arrows shocked me as much as it frightened me. They were aiming at—

"Jeanne!" I shattered the spear Kokabiel used but his other hand snaked through my defense and hammered my chest. "Gah!?"

"Do not look away from your enemy, _son!_ "

He grabbed my collar, pulled me off the ground and executed a flawless circular throw that knocked the air out from my lungs. At the same time, arrows of light were fired while the Fallen materialized another spear of light.

I rolled my body in the last second, avoiding a skewer to the head. But upon getting up, violent winds and red hazes struck me at the front.

The smokes soon dissipated, revealing a wall of swords where Jeanne stood on. They all shattered a second later and displayed the young woman clutching her bloody arm.

"Still alive? Then how about—"

I swung the greatsword, aiming at my enemy's side. Kokabiel grabbed the blade and snapped the sword in two but I stepped forward and struck his abdomen with my other hand.

" _Logic path\open!"_

The Magic Circuits flared to life and a spell formed, transforming my entire arm into a barrel of a rifle.

On my palm a hole opened and a sword blasted out like a cannonball, exploding upon contact like a bomb.

"Nuu…!?"

Rings of fire burned into my eyes and my body soared before smashing the ground with the back.

My ears were ringing, my right arm felt numb while splitting headache assaulted me. I gasped like a fish out of the pond, draining air despite the difficulty of doing it. Even so I clawed the grounds and used my remaining limbs to stand up.

Red trickled down my left eye, blinding half of my sight but the silhouette of my enemy was still there. Even though I used up all the prana this body could contain in that one attack…

How could he still be alive...?

"Sieg-kun?! Sieg-kun! Are you alright!?"

Hearing a voice, I glanced to the side, finding Jeanne nearby. Her concerned expression was so easy to tell that I could not help but to think she was bad at lying.

Yet that face was not something I would like to see from her, thus—

"I'm… okay." I breathed out. "I can still fight."

"What are you saying!? You are…!"

An applause was heard, drawing our focus to the Fallen Angel who smiled as if he had seen something entertaining.

"That was a splendid display of strength, son!" He praised shortly before closing his eyes. "Truly – if warriors like you still exist… _Then God wouldn't have died meaninglessly._ "

I froze over. At the same time, I could hear someone stifling by the sudden revelation.

"What… did you say…?" Jeanne squeezed out a question in shock and disbelief.

Her voice. That cracked voice hurt me more than a thousand stab of swords. It hurt me more than the divine flame of the Lancer of Red.

I'd do anything to erase all traces of despair in that voice but I found my tongue tied and unable to do anything.

Because I… I do not know what I am supposed to do to help her…

"Ah… That's right. Not even Michael or Sirzechs would plant seed of chaos in the minds of their minions." Kokabiel smiled, craning his head up to watch the magic circle filling the entire sky above Kuoh Academy.

At the same time, another magic circle appeared below his feet. It was the one we saw upon entering the school field. The lines and ancient words glowed but what chilled my body was the extraordinary amount of prana leaking out from the magic circle.

The tons of magical energy the leylines had were being drained – no, pulled out to the surface.

"Well now… It seems the foundation has been set." A new voice entered my hearing range.

I looked at an aged human who smirked maliciously. He is...

"Valper… You… You knew as well…?!" Jeanne accused.

"But of course, Jeanne! After all, the proofs have are right in front of my eyes, though it was also a terrible discovery for me…." The man shook his head. "But with this, it allows me to seek yet another height. Without God… without the Creator of all laws, the balance has been broken and a new path has opened up! Now I can-"

 _"Your role is already over, Valper."_

As cold as an ice, Kokabiel interrupted the heretic. His mouth was hanging loose and his eyes showed clear signs of confusion.

He looked at the Fallen Angel, "P-pardon?"

Without word. Without warning. With just a snap of two fingers – a spear of light descended upon Valper and erased him from existence.

It shocked both of us. How could it not? A life disappeared within an instant, and yet not even ashes or dying words remained. Jeanne was particularly horrified as she covered her mouth with both hands.

But as an experienced Exorcist, the young woman immediately glared at the Fallen Angel.

"You… You monster…!" She shouted. "Even killing your ally…! Have you gone mad, Kokabiel!?"

"Oh, but I am not the only monster who can overturn the balance of the system, am I not?" Kokabiel chuckled "After all… there is that Holy-Demonic Sword user… and you, _Sieg._ "

As Kokabiel curled his lips into a smirk, I could feel a gaze piercing on me. It came from Jeanne, and I could tell from her expression alone what she was feeling.

"Sieg… kun…?" Jeanne stuttered. "Wha-what other nonsense are you—"

"Two elements of the opposite sides will not, _cannot_ unite in harmony," Kokabiel cut in. "That is an absolute law God created when he separated the day from the night. But with the death of the Creator, many laws broke apart while you, young man… _You are an abomination._ "

The moment his gaze narrowed, a chill ran down my spine. This time, I could tell what meaning resided in that gaze, for I had long lived through battles.

It was a murderous intention.

"Your were not supposed to exist in _this world_ ," Kokabiel said. "You are a symbol of mockery to the laws of heaven and earth. A bug within the flawless system. After all, you are _neither a human nor a monster._ "

As invisible pressure paralyzed my limbs, I could only stare at the being who raised his hand. A giant spear of light emerged in his grasp, and he swung it with ease, pointing the weapon towards us.

"Step aside from my path and at least your life will be spared, La Pucelle. Though that may only prolong your sufferings, but at least you do not need to die with him." Kokabiel said, flicking a glance at Jeanne.

She stuttered but was unable to spell out an answer. Her amethyst-colored eyes shifted back and forth from him to me as if she was in a dilemma.

And perhaps she is in a dilemma. It was not surprising after being told all that.

But seeing that hesitation, Kokabiel snorted. "So you cannot decide. For shame, Heroine of France."

Faster than blinking an eye, a spear of light appeared and thrown by his hand. The weapon flew faster than an arrow, almost matching to that of a cannonball. If nothing was done, it will hit both I and Jeanne.

Before I knew it, my body had moved.

With one leap I landed ahead of Jeanne and extended my arms forward. Despite my battered body, I powered my Magic Circuits and altered the shape of my hands into a tower shield.

A powerful blow collided against it.

"Gha…!" I grunted, feeling the impact coursing through the shield.

"Do you think you can stop me with that beaten vessel of yours, young man!?"

I widened my eyes when the light beyond the shield intensified.

The pressure I resisted against with multiplied by folds and my body was gradually pushed back. As I tried to at least maintain the form and function of the shield, my Magic Circuits began to overheat and harm my body.

"Nggh...! Gah...!"

Blood vessels ruptured. Bones shattered. Flesh and skin torn as I coughed out blood.

"Sieg-kun…!"

I heard a voice behind me but I ignored it. I no longer dared to avert my eyes from the crisis in front of me.

 _I mustn't_ , if I wished to protect something I hold dear.

" _Logic path\open!_ " I exclaimed, converting the structure within the shield with my spell.

How many times have I exerted my Magic Circuits? How many times have I reinforced this body even after all that ordeal? For certain, 'this body' has gone through the limits and is breaking down within seconds.

"Even so…!"

A barrel materialized within my body, loaded with a sword brimming with all the prana 'this body' could contain. Once the outer layer of the sword was reinforced, a part of the shield opened up and the weapon blasted forward as a bullet.

It clashed against the spear of light, making powerful noise which resounded throughout the school field. But as a mere lump of magical energy molded together, it did not have a structure that could hold itself together.

As the sword pierced through the spear, it reached and stabbed Kokabiel's shoulder. He grunted but before he could pull it out, the spell already activated.

Thunderous roars shook the air alongside giant explosions. Smokes clouded over my sight and obscured my surroundings. Even worse, the feedback assailed me and I collapsed to my knees, my wounds opening wider and pouring out blood.

"Sieg-kun…!" Jeanne ran to me, lowering herself to meet me at the eye level. "Why… Why did you…!?"

"…Even without God… Is it still wrong…?"

That question rolled out of my tongue faster than I could think of.

Strange as it seemed, I couldn't even hear the beating of my heart clearly. Everything seemed so hazy and distant, so blurry and… dark.

…ah. 'This body' has almost stopped functioning, is it?

"That was good but still not enough," So someone said. "But do you think you can have a place in this world with this kind of power?"

I didn't know whose voice that was. I wasn't sure if I recognized it.

My mind was white and my body was on fire that I could only latch to my survival instinct.

I breathed in, "…is it wrong… to live…?"

I couldn't feel my legs. It was as if I was floating in the void. Even so, I commanded my body to move, to stand up, and to take my ground.

"Is it wrong… to yearn for a future…? To desire a life… filled with happiness?"

I inhaled air even though my throat was hurting. I wasn't sure if my lungs were still functioning either. It might be that most of my insides have been destroyed as compensation for all the spells I have executed so far.

But it is not enough to stop me from doing what my Will dictates.

"It does not matter… even if God Himself denies me from existence," I announced. "…I will still believe… the future exists… even for aberrations like me."

A moment passed and the world became slightly clearer and brighter.

I captured the figure of a black-winged angel, and he shook his head as if disappointed.

"Time will not wait, young man," He said.

A blinding light flooded my world and everything became clear. The Fallen Angel ascended to the sky, his hand holding a spear of light.

Like a gunshot, a powerful sound rang throughout the air. The light grew in size and was ready to consume me.

There was no way for me to dodge. I couldn't even lift a finger—

 _"NO!"_

Obscuring my sight, a lone woman appeared and a wall of swords erupted in front of us. A loud banging sound crawled through my skin while the bladed walls chipped off bit by bits.

The young woman's expression was strained and desperate. But without looking back, her lips parted open.

"Please…" She pleaded. "Please run away, Sieg-kun! Hurry!"

What did that mean? What was she talking about? Catching her sorrowful expression... Sensing that desperation in the face of dangers... I then realized.

With this, she has betrayed her faith by defending the 'abomination'.

With this, she has denied herself all the prayers she gave to the Lord for her entire life.

And it was _all because of me_. I moved her heart to defend me. _Because I was too afraid of borrowing someone's strength._

"…I'm sorry, Jeanne." I shook my head, blaming myself for my foolish mistake.

Before she could respond, I opened my mouth and inhaled prana like a bottomless pit of greed. The air immediately distorted while I could feel this body's imminent ruin.

Still I inhaled and put my Will into words.

 _"I order this body of mine—"_

* * *

"Do you still not understand, Mordred?"

As he raised his hand, the black Knight stood with an indiscernible expression.

"A land for people to live in. A government to restrain the people from ruining themselves. And a ruler designed to fulfill the people's wishes for peace and prosperity. But all that fell short when Faith is put to a test."

The king explained like a machine answering questions inputted in it. There was nothing like joy, anger, sadness or even a shred of thoughtfulness.

"In turbulent times, people always clung to an ideal. They wishes for a Savior descended from the heaven to conquer chaos and make peace across the lands. They seek for the impossible; a miracle."

"...and so beliefs created religion. Bah, so that's it."

The silver knight scoffed. Even as her armors dissipated in blue dust of light, her emerald-colored eyes still displayed savage light.

"Do not move," The king said. "Or I will cut you down without fail."

A snarl echoed, but a toothy grin made it seemed as if the small-framed knight was mocking at him. As always, such provocation would not deign any response but there was something else that unnerved him.

"...so you think you still have a chance? It seems that you truly cannot learn from your mistakes." He said.

Mordred snorted, "Don't lump me in together with you, _Infallible King_."

As prana burst out like an overheating locomotive engine, electricity sparked to life around the Traitor.

She could feel the amplified energy surging from Clarent.

She could stand up and fight once again.

But before all that—

"Like I'd give a damn about some being who can't even show itself in front of _me_ when I am crowned as a king!"

A powerful step launched the "Red" Knight forward. Clad in blood lightning, the silver sword she held slashed down like a hammer.

Sparks flashed and faded. The two knights were once again caught in a deadlock.

"It seems there is no reasoning you to step aside." The King of Knights responded, irritated.

"And why do YOU have to care!?" The Traitorous Knight yelled.

As bursts of sparks emerged, the two knights rained blows against each other. Despite her wounds and state, Mordred used Prana Burst in such a way that she overwhelmed her enemy almost immediately.

Speed. Strength. Reflex. In every aspect the technique was used, heightening her strength by manifolds.

But the table was overturned when a delay appeared. Black flame erupted and lashed out, striking Clarent at the flat side.

The blow was more than enough to send Mordred flying.

"No matter how many times you challenge me, victory has already been decided!" Arthur exclaimed, gathering prana as the Sword of Promised Victory began to sing once again.

At the same time, a pillar of red lightning erupted from the clouds of dust.

"Victory is _mine_ , Arthur!" Mordred exclaimed as she unlocked her sword's hidden mechanism.

It was clear that she was about to execute her Noble Phantasm, even at the cost of her own life. It was so foolish that the king chose to execute his enemy with his greatest attack.

" _Excalibur…!_ " The King of Knights bellowed-

 _And the Knight of Treachery threw the lightning-clad sword at him_.

 _Impossible,_ he thought. It was supposed to be impossible, for the initial activation of Clarent should have already forced Mordred to stay in place. It was a must else a failure would lead to terrible repercussions.

Yet the knight's sword pierced through the winds and lodged itself into his shoulder.

Blood splattered, the king's pained cry echoing through the battlefield for the first time. Yet like a shark smelling blood, the knight in red dress landed right in front of him, sending a straight kick into his abdomen.

She pulled her sword in the roughest manner, splattering blood and pieces of dull black iron. After being attacked like that, it was a given that Arthur's Noble Phantasm was cancelled.

And yet he scowled, "You never intended to activate your Noble Phantasm!"

As if to mock him further, the obsidian sword's mechanism moved back and forth, showing that it was all but a gimmick exclusive to the sword.

Mordred laughed maniacally at seeing the surprise in her father's face. Such a measly trick disrupted him! What fool!

But it showed that she could one-up him, defeat him, and surpass him. She could overcome the Perfect King!

"This time for sure…!"

And so – as one knight was paralyzed by his own folly, another dived down.

With overflowing passions. With unbridled fury and excitement. With a tiny desire burning as an ember in her chest…

Red lightning descended – and another part of the school field burst in huge explosion.

The battle ended at last…

 _But—_

"What…!?" Mordred exasperated in shock. "Arthur…! Where are you, you coward!?"

Her sword did not struck anything. It was as if her sworn enemy had vanished into thin air. How? Why?

The victory she had sought so much was robbed from her hands. It made her to gnash her teeth as exploding anger blazed beneath her chest.

She immediately looked around and she found him.

"Arthur! Are you running away!?" Mordred exclaimed as the black knight sank into a pool of shadow. "What about your Master!? You _dared_ to violate the rules after all that!?"

But was it an ordinary shadow? No, the knight knew all too well that foul scent. It could only be the accomplishment of sorcery. _Someone interfered with her duel against her father!_

The Knight of Treachery seethed in fury so much that she was about to leap and claim the head of the king. She could still reach him! She could still defeat him-

"Do you think you can take my head in that condition?"

Just as he said that, Mordred toppled, her last remaining strength sapped away completely.

"What...!?"

Bewilderment came before realization arrived.

It hurt. It made her to roar in agony while her limbs became so heavy it was almost impossible to even lift a finger. Not even an A-rank Servant like her could still fight after depleting her prana reserves.

But Mordred's mind was already polluted by anger.

She stalked forward even as every step became even slower. She raised her hand no matter how hard the effort burdened her, as if trying to grasp the hazy figure in the distance.

"Not yet…! I still haven't killed you...!" Mordred yelled. "Come back here, Arthur…! I'll show you…! I'll show you that I am a better king than you!"

A better king. A king that surpassed even the King of Knights.

With that reasoning, the Knight of Treachery chased after him. She must prove it to him this time that she could surpass the Perfect King.

There could be nothing other than that.

 _Because I still haven't…!_

"…there is no merits in your actions," Arthur Pendragon said. _"For you are never one that has the capacity to be a king in the first place."_

As he closed his eyelids, he _denied_ her existence from his mind again.

As the pool of darkness vanished, the Traitorous Knight's expectation was once again betrayed.

Something snapped, and Mordred flung herself forward, swinging down her obsidian sword. Yet all she struck was empty ground. The earth shattered while not even a single trace of her enemy remained in the battlefield.

 _She failed to reach him._

 _She couldn't surpass him._

 _She wasted yet another chance given to her!_

 _"_ Fa...ther...! _"_ Mordred bit her lips, grinding her molars.

Smashing her fists upon the earth, the knight roared, letting out all of her hatred and anger to the heaven.

* * *

I opened my eyes, seeing a world familiar to me, and there I saw something so nostalgic, so familiar to me.

My eyes hovered, scanning the illustrious landscape.

On one side was a man with unkempt silver hair, his back exposing a mark of a linden leaf.

On another side was a beast so enormous, so powerful and malicious that even feeling its smells or breaths instills terror in one's heart.

Between them, a sword was embedded in the root of an ancient tree lush with bright green leaves. It was the magical sword capable of slaying even dragons. It was the treasured sword once sang of its extraordinary legends and tales.

 _—Burn this scene into your soul._

 _—This is the path_ _ **you chose.**_

— _This is the path_ _ **I chose.**_

I heard those words whispered through the winds. Nodding down, I approached the tree and grasped the hilt of the sword. Putting my Will into it, I drew out the sword and the world was filled with blinding light.

Everything was silent until sounds returned in the form of billowing winds. I could feel my toes clawing the ground while I licked my lips and inhaled dusty air overflowing with prana.

"Hoo…? Now what is this…?"

When I opened my eyes, I craned my head, seeing through the silver strands of hair to meet the gaze of my enemy.

" _Oh,_ " He muttered in awe. "I see! That sword... and your appearance...! Now I see why you are so reluctant!"

The man laughed but it was not insulting. I could tell, as he leveled an amused gaze full of understanding.

"That is a 'shell' of a dead person. You are desecrating the one you borrowed that 'shell'. Because of that, you feel you don't deserve in taking up that identity as _it was_ _never your own strength._ "

While he pointed that out, I couldn't say anything in return. He was right. I was acting cowardly and running away from the truth. I simply wished not to taint That Man's honor all because of my selfishness.

Because I knew that above everyone else, it was impossible for me to become like him. After all, I am not the Dragonslayer. I have never once slain a dragon with only swordsmanship alone. I could not get back up when I fought against the avatar of greed which guarded the cursed treasure.

Only by abandoning my original identity as a Homunculus did I ever reach that peak. Even then, I believed that only the memories I have of the War shone the most more than what I have done in the Reverse Side of the World.

"But that ends now," I told him. "For now, all that matters is to defeat you with this power."

Regardless of my pride. Regardless of my fear and disappointment at myself...

"Come, _krähe._ "

The Fallen Angel's smirk widened. As he flapped his wings, arrows of light materialized and shot forward. At the same time I heard a frantic gasp coming from behind me. I knew that if I dodged, someone would be harmed in my stead.

 _Even still, I did not have any inclination to move either._

"What…!?"

Blow after blow. An arrow after another. The barrages of magical arrows that could have easily melted iron were all stopped and broken upon hitting my body.

As smokes dissipated, I stepped forward, completely unharmed.

"H-how…?!" Jeanne worded out her surprise.

But I did not have time to answer. Staying in this form is already exhausting, and will also attract the attention of things I did not wish.

All I needed now is to focus – _and grasp victory._

The moment the barrage ended, I kicked off the ground and soared through the air. My speed was at best average for my Class but it was more than enough to reach my enemy.

"Haa!" Swinging down the greatsword, the blade flashed down like a high speed guillotine.

The Fallen Angel barely blocked it with his weapon, but such crude thing could not stop a Noble Phantasm meant to slay dragons. With sounds akin to glass shattering, the magical spear broke apart I slashed my enemy.

"Gaaaahhh…!?" Kokabiel roared in agony.

Blood spurted and evaporated, his wound cauterizing by the power of the sword that could interchange its nature between holy and demonic.

"Tsk. Too Shallow!" Still I cursed under my breaths.

I didn't want to give away the initiative. Charging forward, I swung the greatsword in my hands which coiled like a snake while plowing through like a widely swung hammer.

In less than a minute, I had already carved wounds many more than the Devils could give to the Fallen Angel. I crushed any sign of resistance and blew him away using one full-powered swing of sword.

Howling, Kokabiel crashed into a crowd of trees faster hiding the Old School Building. Smokes and sawdust piled up, obscuring my sigh which also meant I could not be certain of my enemy's condition.

But as my nose tingled, I lifted the greatsword in my hands and dissected an arrow of light coming from the smokes. The trajectory it came from was—

"A false one!" Spinning in place, I blocked a spear of light. Orang sparks danced while screams of metal filled the air.

"Hah...! Hah ha ha! Magnificent! So _this_ is your true strength, young man! Truly, you are a fearsome being!" Kokabiel remarked in utter glee.

He rose up and dived down like an eagle attacking the snake slithering on the ground. With his weapon and his agility, even my sword was rendered incapable of dealing critical damages due to the extreme differences of ranges.

But no matter what, he was no match for the current me.

He attacked like a lion but other than those I deemed as immediate threats, I ignored them and delivered counterattacks.

He spat out blood yet he kept on laughing like a madman, "This isn't all you have! I know you can do more than this, _Sieg!_ "

Holy arrows zoomed in from all direction, particularly from behind my back. I spun in place and sliced the offending arrows.

I thought that was all but a chill ran down my spine. My limbs moved, the greatsword whipping and smashing a spear aimed at my blind spot.

"Now why are you defending yourself?" Kokabiel asked, smirking maliciously from afar.

But I knew it was a ploy. The Fallen Angel was smarter than his behavior suggested.

The Noble Phantasm clinging to my body was the _Armor of Fafnir,_ a Noble Phantasm born from bathing in the blood of the slain Evil Dragon.

It was with this armor that Siegfried continued to usurp victories through battles without a single scratch. It was a powerful armor that could negate weak attacks while reducing the damages of even Saber's attacks.

But just like how there is 'one exception' among exceptions, this armor possessed several weaknesses. So before they are revealed, I pressed forward.

"Grrh...!" The Fallen Watcher grunted as I stepped forward and stabbed his left collarbone.

With a roar I exerted my strength to the utmost limits, the greatsword in my hands becoming a raging storm assailing my foe. In return, the Fallen Watcher helplessly struggled in utter desperation that his smile began to wear off of his face.

One last blow cleaved off his arm. Blood sprayed and the man backed away to the sky while holding the newly formed stump.

"Very well... It seems there is no need to delay any further!"

The magic circle in the sky radiated enormous heat and excess of energy like a dying star ready to explode. The most probable chance is that it was the spell to erase this entire town in one strike.

"Though it will not be enough to erase this place from the map... I will finish this!" Kokabiel exclaimed, raising his hand to the sky.

Sparks of lightning coursed through the magic circle. Mana so dense that it became visible to naked eyes appeared alongside powerful pressure. And a giant sphere of light gathering above the Fallen Angel.

The air was heavy that it was hard to breathe. The land trembled while the barrier seemed as if it was about to crash down in ruins.

There's no time left.

" _O Sword,_ _Let Thee be filled—_ "

The moment I said that, the jewel on my sword flashed. The True Ether from the Age of Gods contained within it seeped into the blade and overflowed as golden light.

"Struggle as you can, I can now destroy this entire region!" My enemy shouted, swinging down his arm.

The giant sphere of light condensed into a size the hand could hold.

At the same time, the magic circle shrank and moved to line up below the dense lump of magical energy. Then with thunderous roar, a blast of light fired down.

I couldn't make it in time. There was no way I could finish my attack.

If so...!

" _Fill!_ " I used the word of power to summon the ability I still inherited from my first War.

As the mark on my chest glowed, electricity circulated around my body, flashing and fading with buzzing noises. Consequently, the golden light the demonic sword unleashed grew and filled the surroundings.

Recalling the ever-silent mechanical bride's image in my mind, I remembered all that I knew of her and her last trace of existence. A fragment of her soul resided in me as an ability to draw in raw magical energy and convert it into prana with each movement.

 _Galvanism_ was the mechanism behind that ability. The ability which brought Frankenstein's Monster to life... It accelerated the required time needed to execute my Noble Phantasm.

And this Noble Phantasm was known as _Bridal Chest - Lightning Branch of Crucifixion._

"What…?!"

Looking up at the sky filled with white light, I clawed the grounds with my toes and raised the greatsword above my head.

" _Bal—_ "

Golden light erupted from the sword, overflowing as a pillar of light.

" _mung!_ "

The moment I swung it down– twilight devoured everything.

* * *

As a veil of golden radiance burst out, everyone stilled and no soul could take their eyes off it.

The overflowing stream of light was different than the blood lightning or the tainted black flames. It was completely different than the shooting star despite originating from similar sources.

The collision between the two ray of light created violent winds which cut up the barrier around the school. The clash was so strong, so powerful that none couldn't do anything other than to stand on their grounds.

"Unbelievable..." A swordsman said, having finished destroying the last chain shackling him from moving forward.

The twilight expanded, devouring the sky. Not even the army of Fallen Angels could foresee this and so they were devoured as well by it.

In awe, the Servant of Rider looked up while covering his eyes from getting blinded with a hand. The golden veil was like a spring bursting out in a dry desert. So beautiful. So majestic and brilliant...

"It finally ended." He laughed.

The twilight consumed the burst of magical energy, the magic circle… and the Watcher of the Stars.

What remained was the real sky beyond the barrier, as well as falling particles of lights.

* * *

Dust settled. Lying on the ground, my enemy lied helpless without his lower body part seen anywhere. His blood evaporated while the tips of his hands began to dissolve into glittering particles of light.

How tenacious. It seemed that just as I thought, mythical beings like him are harder to kill.

"…it is… my defeat," Kokabiel said, twisting his lips upward.

At the same time, my transformation was undone and I fell to my knees, clutching Balmung which oddly persisted in existing. My body was retching in extreme agony as if I was burned alive while my head throbbed as if stabbed by a thousand needles.

But even so... a fact became known.

"…ah…" I breathed in. "…with this…"

 _I have won._

I have acquired victory where I did not lost anything. My allies are safe with the innocent protected from harms. Not even the chance of all-out war or discovery of the Moonlit World by the Mundane presented itself.

And yet…

"Why do you cry, young man…?"

I choked at his question and looked up at the Fallen Angel with my blurry vision.

I was unable to hide my surprise. Not at his question, but at the discovery that I did not realize I was shedding tears. What... is the meaning of this...?

"It seems you still have much to learn…" Kokabiel smiled, his gaze softening.

"What do… you mean…?" I asked, failing to understand his point.

The man chuckled and said "Someday you will know" as if he knew something. He soon rolled his gaze, transfixing his eyes to watch the moving clouds.

 _Why_ , I asked myself upon seeing that distant gaze. What meaning did it hold? What kind of thing he saw with those eyes?

But I had no answer to that question, thus a lump was caught in my throat and my cheeks felt as if they burned alongside my eyes.

Then the Watcher of the Stars scoffed, "Do not deny your flaws. You… are you for being who you are. And you… are my son."

I stared at the dying man, unable to utter any word. It was strange, I admit. I could not believe how uplifted I was for hearing that. I could not… think that words could move me like this. Still…

"…why…?" I asked. "Why do you see me as… your son?"

It was then a light flickered in Kokabiel's eyes. So nostalgic and yet so anguished, that gaze reminded me of the hero bearing untold sorrows within his heart.

"Why not?" The dying Fallen replied. "You… are alone in this world. Even with allies… You are still alone, _without a root._ "

I still couldn't understand him. I was still bewildered because the Fallen Angel continued to elude my comprehension. When I asked again, he sighed.

"You are special. Just like me. Just like many other Heroes," Kokabiel explained. "Even if you wished for it… an ordinary life is not something you can get without losing something."

Just like him...? What I wished for…?

"…without a name for yourself. Without a foundation to stand on… _the world will no doubt crush you._ Which is why… I have chosen to entrust you." Kokabiel breathed out.

I blinked at the strange phrase, "Entrust…? What do you…"

 _I doubt you will accept it though_ , Kokabiel laughed. But despite that all, there was a certain degree of affection in the way he addressed me.

Like a parent teaching his child… but there was also regret, like a father who could not witness the growth of his son until the end.

"I have lived a long live… making so many mistakes… and wasted… so many chances…"

The body of the Fallen Angel almost dissipated completely, scattering away into tiny flakes of light. Yet with a soft smile, and through his last breathe… Kokabiel looked at me lovingly and told me.

"Still you are… my greatest gift… _my son._ "

All I could do was staying in place, watching as the flakes of light faded and normalcy returned to the world. There was nothing I could do but to watch as someone that I knew vanished from this world.

And then I heard words – voices from various directions. I turned around, seeing a blonde-haired young woman rushing towards me. Not far behind her was a group of people I acknowledged as friends.

Meanwhile, a screech echoed and a Hippogriff passed by my vision, 'stepping' on the air more than flying with its majestic wings.

As I glimpsed the small hand waving on me, my lips twitched upward. And yet the vessel I was using finally gave out, sinking my consciousness into the darkness.

* * *

 **-Author's Rambling-**

 _"End of Term Test is approaching so I won't be around for a while."_

Nothing more or less. Reviews will probably come later or when the Arc finishes by the next chapter. When will the next update happen?

Well... as soon as possible, maybe?

P.S: _Most probably, I will be off from the site or even writing for several weeks._

P.S.S: _Considering the degrading quality of recent chapters, there will be rewrite once Epilogue of Arc 3 comes out. I'm especially disappointed after realizing that the DxD casts were sidelined so this chapter will probably be edited more than a few times.  
_

P.P.S.S: _Suggestions are always welcomed. More like, I badly need them.  
_

P.P.P. _S.S: Also, I think I'm going to recruit two more Betas to lessen the burden of my current Beta in case something goes horribly wrong like in this chapter. Preferably those who are knowledgeable in both Nasuverse and DxD._

* * *

 **RAC! (Chapter 13 + 14 Combined)**

Azum: As shown in this chapter, Mordred is just surprised that someone like her _father_ would bring up such thing in the open. Unfortunately, she's not human and neither her parent is, so where normal human with religion collapse in catatonic despair, she does not give a care. Or simply put, in Mordred's style, she doesn't need the graces from an almighty being to be who and what she wants. Though I'm pretty sorry that this came out poorly yet again. I ran out of space to expand some stuff.

Knight of Steam: It depends on the faculty, and as I'm in Art Faculty, I have to use both of my hands and travel all over places to find inspiration. Creativity is a must for this faculty and you are expected to _never_ be satisfied of your current work because that means you are limiting your own growth. The competition is pretty much hardcore with talents disparity easily dividing the ones with higher chances to succeed in the future and the mediocre.

Snorlax-kun: I have to agree that the characters aren't expanded much. DxD is excellent but there's just so many holes that I can take advantage of for practice writing characters so your issues will be addressed. Meanwhile, the next servant is a secret! *smiling innocently*

King0fP0wers: Thank you for the praises, though I'm just alternating the viewpoints to expand the world a little bit. Khaos Brigade is a _recently_ made organization so it's more like the OMF (Old Maou Faction) being a little opportunistic, if not pushy. They are not exiled here but more like inactive so it's just them wanting to take another initiative. Hm... well, the lightning part is more like Clarent's doing. The amplification part, iirc. You raised a good point but the clues are already there. Specifically 'this vessel' part, and it will be addressed by a certain pain in the ass Servant.

Kirin: I have several plans for Tamamo and depending on the likelihood, I can probably manage her without having to turn her into an almighty super deity of the sun. When in that state, she's no longer a heroic spirit anyway and the Class-Piece is already specifically meant for humanoid HS. Also, Shalba's action is a acting alone so it doesn't relate to Khaos Brigade. Words just travel fast for the privy.

Mr. Tanaka: Umu. I can understand that. The clash was meant to show a difference in strength so I didn't write the action scene for 'Rule of Cool' purpose. Also, the fight between Sieg VS Kokabiel and Sieg(fried) VS Kokabiel are two different battles with different attributes on. The former has the odds against Sieg because of physical stats differences, combat range, weapon of choice and terrains. Kokabiel has a spear that is far longer than a greatsword, can fly around and has projectile arrays using the leyline to bruteforce Sieg's magical resistance and pummel his Reinforcement. When Sieg(fried) takes the stage, Armor of Fafnir reduced _A-rank_ damage into _E-rank,_ and its defensive capability will rise to B+ when against Noble Phantasm attacks. The clash is also leaned to Sieg because of Galvanism which absorbs prana _from the surroundings_ so that meant Kokabiel instantly lost any advantage he once had. Even his own big magical blast was overpowered because of insufficient prana stolen by Bridal Chest-upgraded Balmung.

CCG's Ninja: While trivial, Mordred isn't one who's going to listen to other people's words. Other than Arthuria who she both revered as a divine figure and target of hatred, she doesn't even treat humans as people. And hey! Logistic is important you know?! It's just Sirzechs' own fault to be fairer than he should be as a politician!

Bang: Momentum, and Alter's NP being more powerful due to its concept. Despite Clarent and Excalibur said to rival each other, the concept the latter carried is totally unfair when unleashed, and even more unfair when Arthuria became Alter. But really, the source is just the speed of activation so it's more like 'One second makes a large difference in the battlefield' taken to the extreme. The only fortunate thing is that Alter's Magic Resistance is downgraded by a rank so yay for ancient sorcery taking effects!

One Kick Man: 1. Rather than giving no consequence, it will probably boost the effect. For example, if the command is 'dodge the attack' and the Servant barely avoided it, Gift will simply enhance the command and let the Servant avoid it successfully. Of course, applying this to transformation will most likely extend the duration of transformation period.

2\. Hyde will probably become the main personality permanently. I wouldn't want that because the duality of that Servant is fun to explore.

3\. Hm... an interesting possibility. Unfortunately, it's better to enhance the physical stats or NPs rather than skills like that due to the immediate effectiveness.

4\. Same as above. Tamamo is... Uh, I don't want to spoil you so I shall refrain from bringing the topic.

Guest-san: You can see the application in this chapter. Btw, Karna once monologued that Siegfried reminded him of someone (and we know just _who_ it was) but he never mentioned the identity of the subject in the novel. One line is easy to forget when you are reading a fight between legendary heroes. If it's about Sieg's reason, I know that it's kind of weak and looked as if he's got his own pride now but a full disclosure will be revealed in the epilogue. And yes, Astolfo is kind of popular in a very lighthearted manner that you can read his story as a children fairytale. But in this case, one thing is due to that all heroes do exist so they gain a lot more presence in the supernatural world.

RandomBoredGuy: I can understand your irritation, but that's just how Sieg is designed so I can't embellish his personality as I want to. And Brynhildr is basically a demigod, though her 'full-power' criteria must include her target being a hero she can relate to (Sigurd/Siegfried/her Master/heroes that reminded her of her beloved). Otherwise, she's still _just a powerful Servant._ She's not even as ridiculous as Tamamo.

piddle: Well, despite the saying magical swords don't have souls, they certainly have basic instincts like beasts.

Shaker: Atalanta uses them rarely. Especially the one about pelt of calydonian boar. The usage only appeared later in the novels nearing the climax and from their natures made them as last resorts if not suicide attacks.

Erastone: Well... I just don't want to lengthen the story flow more than this. Sorry if it looks rushed. I think you should reread the transformation part again to have a better grasp of this story's Sieg's transformation. Don't worry about Vali and Azazel because they will appear briefly in the Epilogue.

Mard Geer T: Problem with Balmung is that if Excalibur and Clarent goes straight, it _expands_ like a butterfly wing. In other words, Balmung is meant for AOE completely and with the right distance, it could even overpower CS-backed Clarent Blood Arthur. That's just how fearsome the Noble Phantasm is.

Saru: She will appear, for sure. But whether she will be an ally, an enemy or a third party... Well, who knows?

The Fool: I've considered all of them, and thought up the countermeasures. Ignoring Tamamo who requires special treatment, the others are relatively tame in comparison to DxD casts after vol. 12. And well... Jack actually has quite an advantage here since there are lots of female characters. Not that I'm going to do some trainwreck but expect... a bloody mess when she first appeared.

Thunder Dragon: Sigh... I know that this will happen but calm down first. Your ideas are certainly plausible but I don't write this story with shounen power up or harem-making in minds. I wouldn't, won't, and never am going to skew my perspective of the main theme this story has because leaning to power ups will get me close to Power Levels while harem-making will force me to face the dreaded Shipping War. Both are not actually necessary to write a good story, neither should they be relevant because it's been done to death by many others. I'm not going to refuse your ideas but do consider the long-term consequence to the storyline when you post them.I'll check them again later because answering past reviews already drained my mind.


	16. Chapter 15 - The Next Step

A pale sky. The colorless, unmoving ocean. A static world I once lived in expanded and surrounded me with all of its familiar flawlessness.

From left to right, up and down. As I moved my head, there was nothing but eternal tranquility; an impasse in-between chaos and all the bloodshed this fantastic realm could offer. A perfect world nary with flaw.

But in front of me stood a massive being, tall and imposing. Without saying words, I could tell what it was saying.

 _Coward_ , it said. _You dared to betray your Fate_ , it said, hissing in disgust and hatred.

The being was nothing but a phantom. A dead apparition close to an ancient curse. And yet the blood running down my veins froze over, and I lost the ability to breathe. As the pounding of my heart drummed in my ears, all I could feel was hopelessness and shames.

Hopelessness because I could do nothing but to hear its malevolent curses.

Shame because I knew the monster's words were correct.

"I – am you." The Dreadwyrm snarled, its snake-like eyes narrowing at my words. "I inherited your legacy. Your Fate, Greed, Curse, and Hatred. An abomination born from human desires. _Your spawn._ "

The dark creature fueled one's imagination just by existing. Black scales, a flaming tongue, and poisonous breaths. The longer I gazed at it, the larger the darkness that consumed the tranquil, perfect world.

In such a way, perhaps I too have gone mad for not fearing this creature.

Even still—

 _"I am not you."_

Challenging its gaze that evoked a sense of terror, I swallowed my saliva and marched forward.

To argue with this monster was beyond madness. It had lived alongside me, forever existing with a promise that should the Dragon-blooded Knight ever reappeared, it too would wake up from its slumber.

No, wrong. It wasn't a promise. It was a curse meant for me to move my claws and raise my fangs even if I didn't want to. It simply warned me that when the fated time arrive, I will have no choice but to fight and kill the hero who gave me a second chance to live.

Despite knowing that struggling was just an act of foolery. Even though I knew that I was simply inviting Death to claim my entire being...

"It does not matter whatever thing I have become," I said, clenching my hands as I closed my eyelids. "I will fight for what I believe in."

A howl was heard, one that dispelled the pale clouds and moved the silent ocean. As I reopened my eyes, gauntlets and armor had already clad my body alongside a greatsword in my hold. But I couldn't even let myself be aware of the majestic existence I became as the maw of the Evil Dragon opened up in front of me.

A tongue of flame seared through the air, scorching the earth and evaporating the sea. I narrowly escaped the attack but as soon as I recovered my footing, a jagged tail arced low, striking my side and throwing me into the coast.

I spilled blood into the tranquil sea, my wounds stinging with burning sensation upon contacting the salty water and I could sense some of my ribs had been shattered and bent so far that they protruded out from my torso. Still I stood up, wielding the magical sword with both hands.

The enemy will never show mercy. It will crush me if I ever let my guard down for an instance. I know because I had already been defeated and consumed by it before. I understood because I was nothing like the Hero who could surpass all odds.

Letting loose a battle cry, I rushed towards the Evil Dragon, once again challenging Fate like a fool I was.

I slashed at the black scales, and boiling blood sprayed. Even nearing it was enough to hurt my eyes for the heat of life the Dreadwyrm had outclassed any living being.

Feigning ignorance to its wound, the Beast counter attacked. Its strong arms swinging faster than the winds and deadly as the claws tore air so easily.

I jumped back, avoiding descending claw that scattered dust and pebbles. But my vision was obscured by them and even my instincts could not detect the creature's presence.

Without warning, a blast of flame pierced through the clouds of dirt, consuming me completely.

The hellish flame melted my cuirass, my skin, flesh, and blood. I screamed in agony as I was being roasted alive, yet my Will refused the threat of Death. Holding tight the sword in my hand, I sliced apart the flame in two with Balmung.

Walls of flame surrounded me. Blazing haze flickered and faded along with black soot. And yet Fafnir was nowhere to be seen—

A roar reverberated throughout the tranquil lands and I froze over, unable to realize the thousand worms that had crawled down my spine. A step too late to do anythin—!

"Argh!"

My vision shook and I was tossed into the air, crimson spiraling around me alongside a piece of my limb. As my body helplessly floated, I glimpsed the jaw filled with sharp fangs approaching from below.

Frantically I shouted and swung the magical sword down, but I was yet again too late as the dragon acquired most of my body in its maw.

Without mercy the strong jaws crushed my body, breaking my bones and pulverizing my organs. I screamed in agony, for the pain was too great to endure.

Still, a little voice inside my head whispered to me that I couldn't give up. I couldn't end like this.

 _Not here_. Not in this place. I had given up once, defeated by this frightening monster. As if I will let it end like this _again!_

Balmung was raised high before stabbing into the nose of the Evil Dragon, tearing it apart violently.

The snake-like eyes widened and the grips of the jaw loosened. I was dropped down, smashing to the ground with a red slippery bed pooling beneath my body.

Pain encroached my mind, telling me to lie down and close my eyes. Even if I wanted to stand up, I couldn't. Not without one of my legs. Thus I used the sword in my hands as a replacement for my leg.

I couldn't see the world through the red curtain blinding half of my eyesight. I couldn't feel the tears running down my grime-ridden cheeks despite the pounding of my heart.

But as I looked up, the Dreadwyrm opened its jaws.

Expelling cursed flame breath, my body burned to the marrows and darkness consumed me whole.

* * *

Issei wished he could just take it easy once in awhile.

Not that he was complaining. He had friends and his life, though hectic, was colorful. He wasn't even sure how could he still get shocked by things even though he had a dragon residing in his arm.

Looking over the windows, he saw the track club members exercising with the orange sunlight casting longer shadows.

 _And it helps that this timing will accentuate their breasts...!_

"As I thought, boobs are awesome!" The pervert smiled wide.

A cough came from somewhere inside his head. Issei snapped back from his thoughts and grunted, hurrying through the hallway with a stack of documents pressing down into his stomach.

 _Ugh! Why is there so many papers?! Isn't this wasting resources!?_

[Blame those runts for obliterating most of your school.] The Welsh Dragon scoffed [Well, it doesn't compare to when I was at my prime though.]

"I didn't ask for comparison, you stupid dragon...! No, wait, you're kidding right?" Issei asked, suddenly feeling hopeful of his future prospect.

[You can do it too, partner,] The Heavenly Dragon replied. [Too bad you have such an unfortunate body so you will have to train for a few hundred years first. And that is when you are extremely diligent about it.]

"Gah...! Stop throwing salts on the wounds! At least give me some incentives to work hard!"

After the banter came to a pass, Issei arrived in front of double doors. He sighed a long one and looked around.

"Still, I haven't been around here for... How long was it? Two weeks?" He asked himself. "I heard that the reinforcement party Akeno-senpai mentioned had to work really hard to keep the situation under controls."

[Of course they had to. Nothing can reproduce the magnitudes of battles like that, save beings like that crow or those runts.] Ddraig snorted, making Issei to imagine him grumbling while crossing his arms away.

 _That was one hell of a spectacle... Wait. Why can't you just call them by their names...?_

[Why do I have to—]

Issei decided to tune out Ddraig's response and opened the door.

"Excuse me... Uh? Did I come in the wrong time?"

 _No such thing_ , Sona Sitri replied to Issei's question. After getting the permission, the boy walked toward the Student Council President and placed the stack of papers on the Student Council President's desk.

"Though I have yet to investigate what these documents entail to, is it regarding the compensation?" The Heiress of Sitri asked.

"R-right! Buchou decided that and apparently, Maou-sama too." Issei answered.

 _I see_ , Sona breathed out. However, she didn't look pleased at all. That sour mood made Issei to fidget, nervous. He looked to the left, meeting the gaze of the Vice President Tsubaki but she shook her head.

When he looked back at the rest of the Student Council, everyone did the same as well. Not even Saji could help him, as his expression seemed to say 'There's no use even if you try to do something'.

 _Gah... Just why is this happening...?_

"...My apology, Hyoudou-kun, but may I ask you a question?" Sona suddenly asked.

 _Huh?_ "Y-yes?"

"No need to be so tense. This isn't related to anything you can think of."

 _Is that so?_ But Issei wasn't one who could maintain composure for a long time under heavy atmosphere. He had gone through a lot of ups and downs but after that incident with Kokabiel, things had been extremely busy.

His seniors were contacting people he didn't know but it seemed it was related to Rias' brother, who was the great Satan himself. Koneko and Kiba too were occasionally sent out for errands, so that left himself with Asia most of the time.

"Hyoudou-kun, do you know of the Nibelungenlied?" Sona asked.

Issei tilted his head. He almost asked what that meant one of her Bishop gave him the answer.

"It is a song depicting the tales of a dragon-slaying hero, his fall due to a treacherous betrayal and followed by revenge plotted by his wife against the one who murdered her husband." Kusaka explained.

"Uh... A dragon-slaying... Hero...?" _Why am I feeling cold all of a sudden...?_

"Right," The brunette cracked a troubled smile. "The name of the Hero is 'Siegfried', a human who defeated an Evil Dragon. To be more precise, he slayed Fafnir."

 _What...?_ Issei was perplexed now. While the name certainly rang a bell, he couldn't come up with further details so hearing all that was shocking.

[Idiot. You must really be dense if you haven't noticed.]

And now even Ddraig admonished him. He furrowed his brows, glaring at his left arm and whispered his thought.

 _Ddraig, what do you mean by that?_

[Didn't the name of that Hero reminded you of someone?]

" _...ah_." Issei let out a sound, realizing the situation at last. "Wait... You mean..."

"Exactly as you thought, Hyoudou-kun," Sona exhaled, resting her chin on her hands. "'Sieg' is clearly derived from 'Siegfried'. And the sword the hero carried is a magical sword named 'Balmung', which was what Sieg-kun used."

Without pausing the High-class Devil stared at him on the eyes, freezing him in place with it.

Then she said, "It seems you truly don't know it. I can't say ignorance is a bliss but for you, it might have been best if you didn't know it."

"What...? Kaichou, what do you mean by that?"

Sona pointed at his left arm. Issei's gaze followed but soon enough something clicked inside his mind.

"You are the possessor of Boosted Gear, a Longinus-series Sacred Gear containing the soul of the Welsh Dragon," The Devil remarked, the lens of her glasses giving off a sharp glint. "What will you do if you are aware that the person you have been acquainted with is fully capable of killing dragons single-handedly?"

 _That's..._

To such question, the boy lost his words and grew silent. And yet, no matter how much he pondered about it, he couldn't come up with a decent comeback.

 _No. That's wrong._ That wasn't it. It wasn't because he wanted to agree with her. It was...

"Currently, we are still investigating Sieg-kun's background. After that display of power he has, it is best to take precautions. It is also the reason why Toujo-kun and Yuuto-kun are occasionally absent from school, to monitor him."

Pursing her lips, the Heiress of Sitri lowered her eyelids, giving a downcast expression at the usually loud boy.

"I am not saying you must antagonize him, but with Sieg-kun and his companions being a group of heroes, we can' just let our guards down," Sona breathed out. "After all, to us Devils, people bearing the titles of 'Hero' are the bane of our existences."

* * *

It wasn't pleasant at all, to wake up from the darkness like this.

My limbs were tired and my lips were dry. I sniffed the air, yet it could be nothing else than discomforting to me. I shut my eyes back, inspecting myself but as expected, the change had already been done.

There was no trace of Magic Circuits within my body. The previous damages and constraint of lifespan had also vanished as if they never existed. In exchange, I could feel the thickness of dragon blood within my body, the beating of the Magic Core which doubled as my heart, and I felt my body brimming with abundant power that I almost thought it doesn't matter what kind of obstacle is thrown at me.

I sighed at the reformation of my vessel, "In the end, it is my fate to walk down that creature's path."

I was about to raise my hand to weave through the locks of hair sticking on my forehead, but I couldn't. Something was weighing my palm, holding it tightly like a chain.

But it was warm. Turning my head, I saw the worried face of Jeanne d'Arc.

"…Sieg…kun…"

Time stood still at that moment. I didn't even know what to say, or to think when I noticed the beads of tears at the edge of her eyes.

But the Exorcist suddenly pulled back her hands and wiped the tears off her face with her sleeves. After shaking her head twice and taking a deep breath in, she exhaled then glared at me.

I was, admittedly, a little intimidated by her upturned gaze. Stuttering, I asked her if I did something and she nodded.

"Yes, you did something bad!" Jeanne exclaimed. "I have so much to scold you that I can't even begin where to start! From your true identity to your power, your relation with a leader of the Grigori, your thoughtless actions and all other things! _And it's all your fault!_ "

I winced at the stressed last line, "…Does that mean I am not allowed to say my parts…?"

"Don't talk back or I will castrate you!"

 _So unreasonable…_ I heaved a sigh. Even so, it wasn't exhausting at all as I heard her words. The more I listened, the more I remembered the times when she – Ruler scolded me over the same thing.

No matter which world I go to, perhaps it is my fate to meet someone like Her. But…

It's just not the same. No matter what, it could never be the same.

Thus, I called out to her. Since she still continued on her incessant shouts, I called out again and gazed straight at her eyes.

Finally noticing, the Exorcist stilled, giving me a chance to do what I ought to.

"…I'm sorry." I bowed down my head, apologizing.

I didn't put more words into it because I knew excuses wouldn't work. It wouldn't do if I spouted lies more than this.

To begin with, it was because of my oversight that this happened. I had grown so entranced by the chance to live a proper life as a living being that I neglected my awareness of myself and my surroundings. Even though it wasn't wrong, I could never justify myself for lowering my guards when the time counted for it.

Thus, it is only right for me to apologize, because I am in the wrong. Not otherwise.

"…Unfair," A response was whispered, prompting me to look up at Jeanne. "That's not fair, Sieg-kun…"

The edge of my lips tugged upward. Despite that, I couldn't look straight so I closed my eyelids, and stayed still with such awkward expression on my face. Silence permeated and I felt the warm sunlight piercing through the windows.

"I'm sorry," I apologized again, closing my eyes and feeling the ring of her words. "But I can't stop being unfair. At least not for now."

"...You're a Hero, not a magician."

"Yes. But I am no Hero. I can't take up that heavy burden onto my shoulders."

"Don't you know that your descendant is trying to surpass you? He will lose face if he ever met you."

"...I see. It sounds like a dream to know that. Does that mean he is in possession of Balmung?"

"Sig-kun also has Gram and Nothung. But I don't get how you have another Balmung in your possession. It looks and functions differently too."

"It couldn't be helped. What I have is just an imitation. I don't have the right to wield Siegfried's glory for my own selfish desire."

"...But you are Siegfried."

 _If only I were him_ , a small voice in the back of my mind whispered. It was such a small voice that I almost never noticed, but I chose to keep my lips shut and simply chuckled.

I couldn't allow myself to say such thing. I mustn't, because I am me. To deny myself, that is the greatest mistake I will ever commit. Thus I shall never acknowledge that selfishness, even if the Holy Grail were to appear before me.

Being myself is fine. It's alright, so…

 _"Oi, useless Master! What the hell is this!?"_

Uh…!? Drawn by the noise, my eyes hovered on the door that was suddenly flung open, revealing a certain blonde girl in tube top, short shorts and a crimson leather jacket. But surprisingly, she was holding captive someone that I knew by his head.

" _G-guweeeeegh!_ I give! I give up!" Issei screamed as if he had reached the last inches of his life. No, wait. He _is_ about to die since he's locked in vice grip by the A-rank Servant.

"Wh-what? What!?" Jeanne was frantic, and she looked at the spectacle with mouth hanging open.

But the "Red" Saber glared at me, then pointed at Issei.

"How in the bloody hell could this lowlife have _the_ Welsh Dragon sealed in his left arm!?" She yelled, getting angrier as seconds went by. "Tear it out of him! Get it out from this piece of shit and have it shows up in front of me!"

While Issei shrieked 'Eh!?' in disbelief, I rubbed my hurting headache. How could I not? Of all people that I knew, it was _Mordred_ who uncovered the truth I wanted to hide oh so very much.

And so I exhaled conspicuously, "While I have an inkling, may I ask for what reason?"

"I'm going to prove myself as the rightful King of Britain in front of it!"

No, you just want to get back at your father right? I can see why because you are the second person with readable expression after Rider. Not to mention back during the battle in the school grounds, the emotions that flowed into me through the Link were fiery hatred as hot as hellfire.

"You bastard! Are you ignoring me—"

 _"Shut yer traps, you fool!"_

Ah… Rider just flew in and kicked Saber in the head. I watched as the two were carried away by the momentum, breaking through the windows and flying off the balcony. Then there was chaotic havoc breaking out outside.

I heard 'How dare you kicked me, you clown!', 'Shut up! Sieg just woke up so stop acting like a brat!', 'Ah!? You want to die so much huh! I'll execute you first!' and 'Bring it!' echoing as if some childish brawl had just started.

Ignoring the shaking windows and small tremors, it seemed there was no malice in their scuffle so it didn't warrant my concern, though I wasn't quite sure if they knew their limits. At any rate, I should give half of my attentions away in case something happened.

"Gah… I shouldn't have mentioned her breasts," On the doorsteps, Issei inhaled a large amount of air while on all-fours. "Man, flat-chested girls are scary these days…"

I raised an eyebrow, "Did you refer her as a girl?"

 _What of it_ , he asked with a blank face as if he saw something weird. I shook my head, regretting that I didn't give an advice to him. Or maybe I did, and Issei forgot it all.

At any rate… "It is best to not refer her as a girl or even as a boy."

"Then how am I supposed to refer her?"

Well… It's complicated, also a pain for me too. I coughed into my fist and leveled my gaze, meeting the boy's gaze. He tilted his head a little but from how his eyes looked…

Ah. He doesn't fear me for the slightest bit.

"Are you fine coming here by yourself, Issei?" I asked.

 _Don't remind me that_ , the Devil scratched his cheek after standing up.

"Mmm… I have been warned by Buchou and Kaichou that I shouldn't approach you carelessly. Apparently, Heroes are Devils' archenemy after the Angels, they said…"

Yes. I guess that seems to be the case, though it is actually rare for beings such as divine beings to even antagonize humans. More often than not, humans could be found as toys to the Gods and the Divine Spirits than otherwise.

"So I decided to bring Koneko-chan and Kiba with me!"

Huh…? I blinked twice before I could comprehend his following words and action. Leaving the room, Issei returned with the short white-haired girl and blond boy who were his friends.

"Ah. So it was you two's presences that I felt sneaking around the block lately?" Jeanne pounded a fist onto the palm of her hand.

 _We've been caught,_ the first spy commented. _It does seem like it,_ the second spy laughed bitterly.

"But Ise-kun, I can't believe you'd sell us out like this." Yuuto said.

"Say that again after you don't look like a suspicious stalker eyeing your crush's residence!" Issei snorted, looking smug. "Besides, we're all friends here so there's no need to act like that."

How honest. I exasperated at the display of trust with complete absence of malice. Even though I had a suspicion that there might be at least some wariness after all that, it seemed Issei was an exception among exceptions.

"Oh? The people are increasing, huh!" A voice emerged from the direction of the balcony. Rider entered with slightly disheveled clothes and he rubbed the back of his head, a twig falling off the unruly flocks of pink-colored hair. "Y'know, this calls for a feast now that Sieg is awake!"

Eh… I don't think we have the time for it, Rider… And where is Saber? Unfortunately, ignoring me, the free-spirited Servant skipped to the group of Devil and examined Yuuto first. He looked at him from up and down and—

"Alright! You're in charge of the kitchen, blondie number two!" Rider arbitrarily declared. "And you two can buy the ingredients plus some delicious drinks! Vintage wines are the best as accompaniment in a feast!"

 _Eh,_ Issei exclaimed in disbelief. _We are minors though,_ Toujo said with a slight frown. The two seemed troubled by Rider's command and I too felt the same…

"Hmm… I believe the wines should be bought by Miss Jeanne. She is the only adult around here," Yuuto raised a hand. "Meanwhile, Ise-kun, Koneko-chan. I'd like you to buy all of the things in this list."

"Are you for real!?" Issei shouted when he received the piece of paper. "Guh… But it's true that I feel bad leaving the rest to Sieg so guess I have no choice…"

The Knight nodded, "This is certainly an opportunity, yes. Koneko-chan, make sure you don't let Ise-kun off your sight, alright? There will be a treat for you if you do so."

The youngest Devil raised a thumb up, "You got it, Yuuto-senpai."

"K-Koneko-chan…!?" Issei shrieked.

Huh… Did her eyes glitter for a second there…? And there was a drool leaking from the corner of her lips. Could it be… Is Yuuto's cooking _that_ delicious?

"Alrighty! Then let's get going fast, Jeanne!" Rider pushed the confused Exorcist. "It will be too late for you to score a browny point otherwise!"

"Wh-what!? 'Browny point'…?! Ow! Hey!? Cut it out!"

"Hm. I hope my cooking skills haven't failed me yet."

"Let's go as well, senpai."

"Guh!? Collars! My collars! Don't pull on my collars, Koneko-cha – guwoooooh!?"

…

…Before I knew it, my room was empty and no one but myself was present. After processing everything that just happened, I heaved down my shoulders and sighed, shaking my head while at it.

"It doesn't seem like anyone will listen to me at this point, so…" I muttered, walking to the balcony. "…Saber is nowhere to be seen."

Considering the amount of ruckus that had happened, did Rider use his Noble Phantasms? The only thing that I could imagine would be his Hippogriff taking her away as a last resort.

…I hope he didn't send the Beast to drop her at the far side of the moon. It will be a pain to go all the way there just to hear Saber's incessant rants.

"Senior, are you there – oh, it's you."

Hmm…? I turned around, and there was one stoic blue-haired girl.

"Is something wrong?" I asked, facing her. "If you are searching for Jeanne, she went out with Rider."

"Did she? So nobody's around…"

The way she cast her gaze downwards, and how she voiced out her disappointment made me to incline an eyebrow. However, I also noticed that the girl lacked the usual energy she had though I wasn't sure of it.

If anything, she looked like a person in need of help. And if there was something that could trouble an Exorcist like her… _Ah._

"…What's the matter? Do you need something?" I asked the Exorcist.

"It is of no concern to you," She replied. "I simply wish to speak with my superior—"

"About your next course of action after this now that you know God is dead?"

The girl froze over, her eyes widening in surprise. Her mouth was hanging open but I knew she wanted to know how I could know.

"Suffice to say, I have known the truth longer than both of you. It is certainly problematic for the main god of a religion to have perished but…" I looked to the side at the still opened door. "I don't believe your trouble involves the death of your God."

"…How can you be so certain?"

That's true. If I were to put it in words…

"Because you resemble Rider?" I tilted my head. "I don't know. It's just my feeling that you'd rather not listen to people who kept the truth away from you rather than being upset about the death of your God."

Though to tell the truth, perhaps it was due to how similar she is with Rider in both personality and behaviors. If they were to team up, would they reenact the part of the legend where Roland ran around naked due to losing his wits, and Astolfo dressing as a female to calm him down?

…Mmm. I have the feeling that can actually happen now…

"You are sharp, indeed," Quarta muttered, smiling albeit bitterly. "It's true that I have been taught by the adults regarding the Church's teachings throughout my life, and followed orders thinking that they are direct commands from God."

"But that's not the truth. You think your superiors have been giving you false orders to placate their own interests, and yet you are troubled if you should stay in the Church or not now."

 _Pretty much,_ Quarta responded as if it didn't matter. The girl seemed fine even though she stated out her troubles. It made me wonder if she even cared about the whole thing.

…And I just realized Jeanne didn't say anything about it. She didn't even show a sign of dilemma unlike Quarta, and the more I recalled what had happened so far, the larger the number of poor choices I have selected.

This… doesn't bode well at all.

"Irina has already left to return the Excaliburs' Cores but I and senior Jeanne are told to stay behind until we are given further notice," The blue-haired girl explained, her eyes narrowing. "The two of us will probably be struck out as traitors, so I wonder what I should do before it happened. I thought of asking senior but as you can see…"

"…She's not here. I understand your concern now," I nodded. "Unfortunately, I don't think I can help you."

The girl frowned until I explained my reason. I was never a believer and I had never once prayed to God in my lifetime. Even after hearing stories of famous heroes and fighting alongside them, I still did not have an ounce of Faith within myself.

"If there is one thing I believe in, then perhaps… That would be my own heart."

"The heart…?"

"Yes," I paced towards a chair and sat down. "Try to ask yourself: What do you have right now? What will you do? What is your desire? I'm sure that somewhere among these lines, you will find your answer."

Whether or not it is for your own good or not is irrelevant. As long as it is something you yourself came up with, then it must be the path you have been searching for.

I was once like that. Aimless and knowing so little, I wondered if there was a need for me to return to the War I tried really hard to escape from. But knowing that I couldn't turn my eyes away, I questioned myself what I wanted to do and reached to a conclusion.

I wanted to help them. I wanted to repay them for what they have done for me. This feeling did not change even after the War ended. I doubt it will, even in the distant future. Thus—

"…My own choice, is it?" Quarta muttered, chuckling. "I understand. I will try to find my own answer. Thank you for listening in, _Hero Siegfried._ "

…huh? I looked up at her but the Exorcist had already turned her back against mine and walked off brazenly. Once again the room was empty, but I was left feeling troubled.

"…I am not him, though…" Lamenting, I rubbed my throbbing forehead.

* * *

The sun sank and stars began to glimmer in the sky. Under the veil of darkness, the mansion was rowdy with Heroes and Devils having a banquet as if it was normal until past midnight.

"…This is just chaotic." I commented at the sorry sight of the dining hall.

Near my feet was Issei snoring loudly, with Argento and Gremory sleeping using his arms as head cushions. The scene would have invited a sense of tranquility had the boy not been red-faced like a drunken man.

"Aha ha ha… Whoopsie?" Rider laughed awkwardly at my side, quickly earning an annoyed glare from me. "Ugh! Fine, fine! I'm going to escort them all to sleep in the empty rooms as compensation, alright!?"

"You will also clean up the dining hall."

 _No way,_ he shouted in shock but I decided to leave him behind. There was no room for compromise and I have to see someone first. Heading to the front entrance, someone was leaning her back against the door.

"Ah, is it done yet, Sieg-kun?" Jeanne asked, and smiled at my nod. "I'm sorry but I have to leave right now."

"Are you sure it is alright to depart so soon?" I asked, concerned.

"Well, after putting things in perspective, this is the best for everyone," Jeanne replied, wrapping herself in white cloak. "Unlike Xenovia, I already have got something to do after this and I'd prefer to do it alone."

Is that so…? If I were to ask, would she answer then? I wished I could help but considering my circumstance…

"Hm? So you noticed?" I remarked in realization.

"Well, duh. Only Irina alone doesn't know it, unlike us. Besides, that holy-demonic swordsman is more than enough as a proof about the instability of the system, and as if we can lie even when making a written report of the incident. Whether or not you believe in God, lying _is_ bad."

That's… true. But the way you worded it... It's as if you're accusing me, Jeanne. Or maybe she had noticed it. Either way—

"…I see," I blew air through my nose. "It'd have been better if we could part ways in a more favorable situation."

Jeanne laughed, agreeing with me though she did not say any word. There was comfortable silence afterwards and we exchanged eye-contact in the meantime.

That was until I broke the silence with parting words, "I hope to see you again, Jeanne."

"Mhmm! Next time, I'll introduce you to your descendant so prepare yourself, Sieg-kun!"

No, well… I don't think I can bear meeting face-to-face with His offspring anytime soon…

Just as Jeanne walked outside, the wind blew and the sounds of rustling leaves echoed. I watcher her distancing herself but then she halted upon exiting the gate.

"Oh yeah," She muttered, turning around. "Sieg-kun, you said that it doesn't matter even if God does not exist, right?"

Hm…? Ah, that one, huh… So she remembered.

Before I could respond, Jeanne curved her lips upward. Framed by the shadows and moonlight, normal people would have had hard times in discerning her but I could see her. I could read her expression. And I could hear her next words as clear as daylight.

"Thank you, Sieg-kun. Thanks to you, I have decided what I want to do."

Huh…? As I blinked, the young woman waved her hands and disappeared into the night, I stayed still for a while, recalling her parting words and sighed contently.

"How sly of you, to eavesdrop like that, Jeanne." I smiled, and I returned into the mansion, closing the doors behind me.

I was walking back to my room when I noticed someone leaning her back against the wall in the hallway. It didn't surprise me that she was waiting for the opportunity, but I was surprised by the unscrewed bottle of liquor the girl held in her hand.

"Saber…?" I called out, confused.

The Knight of Treachery raised the liquor bottle to her eye-level, "What? Just so you know, this thing tastes pretty disgustingly good even in this world."

…I don't know if I should question her taste or if I should ask what she meant by 'disgustingly good'… But, well. Looks like she went outside to buy it. I also noticed a pack of cigarette in her jacket's breast pocket. If that is what I think it is, then it must be the notorious foul-flavored Taiwanese product her late Master lit every time.

"Are you inviting me for a drink?" I asked.

"Like hell I will hand over what's mine. And you know what will happen if you try to run away." Saber replied, scoffing.

Always so forceful, huh? Giving up on the thought of retaliating, I went into my room and Saber followed after me. After sitting down in a chair, Saber settled on the study desk instead of acknowledging proper etiquette. In lotus position, the girl quickly took a large swig of the alcohol.

"Phah! That hits the spot _real_ good!" The Servant laughed, her cheeks reddening a little as an effect from the liquor.

"…You really have no manners." I pursed my lips in mild annoyance.

"Bah! Stop worrying about stupid stuff, you boorish lizard." Saber sneered.

I tapped my forehead twice, trying to calm down the rising irritation and desire to make a comeback. However, it was better to listen and stay quiet rather than risking my life so I held down my emotion with all that I have.

"And? What do you want—"

 _"What was that poor performance, you bastard?"_

Chills ran down my spine. I almost forgot to breathe when the sharp glare of the Traitorous Knight was given upon me. Even though I could resist it by sheer willpower, my body – this body couldn't endure it and quaked in fear.

"You could have won without transforming. To begin with, your instincts dulled and the desire you once had have waned so much I almost couldn't tell. _Something like you_ doesn't need the help of others to win a battle against some dirty crows!" Saber exclaimed, banging the liquor bottle on the desk.

The glass bottle didn't break, but I could tell the furniture creaked. The air was thick and heavy and I didn't know what to say as the rebellious Servant snapped.

"You're a _Phantasmal Beast_ , not a lowly human or a homunculus any longer. You could have killed as you liked and dominated this entire region without needing to show your claws. You could have hoarded a mountain of treasure and display the might of the legend you are carrying. So why. Are. _You._ Acting all weak and cowardly like that?"

"…"

Every word. Every accusation. Every mistake that I have done…

All of them was laid out by the Servant I had. I couldn't reply to them. I didn't deny them no matter how much I wanted to.

Because Saber was correct, and I was in the wrong.

Because she stated the truth, and I was the one responsible for them.

In her own ways, perhaps Saber was unsatisfied or ashamed by my conducts. The Servant held high pride over her strength and all that she had. In other words, the one who could summon her too must be someone she could be proud of.

Although, she probably just wanted to vent her frustration for being unable to surpass her 'father'. If that's the case, it made Saber as a petty teenager during rebellious stage rather than an overbearing and prideful Heroic Spirit.

"Looks like I'm caught," I raised both of my hands in defeat. "As you said, Saber. I wasn't acting like the usual me and my instincts have dulled considerably. Even if I explained it's partly due to my current condition, I doubt you will accept it as anything but an excuse."

The Servant snorted in triumph, "Yeah, right. If you think so low of me then I shall be magnanimous enough that you are allowed to confess your lousy reason. Now spill it, fool."

Ugh… Can't you just address me by my name for once? Technically, I'm your Master, right…?

"…Very well. Now where should I start…" I pressed two fingers on my chin. "Ah, yes. Saber, do you know that unlike other Beasts, I have long cast off my physical shell in the Reverse Side of the World?"

 _Hm?_ The girl made a puzzled expression at the sudden revelation. She narrowed her eyes for a moment but soon she made a sound, realizing something.

"You can discard and reform your body as you please?" She concluded. "What, that's no different than a Servant."

Mmm… While that is not wrong, that is not correct either. It was hard to put it in words since I couldn't use too much difficult words against someone like Saber, so…

"Putting it simply, when I arrived in this world _by accident I knew nothing of_ , I subconsciously created a physical vessel with the specs of my Homunculus form as a model."

 _So that's it,_ Saber nodded while crossing her arms. It was good to hear there was no animosity in her words but I felt nervous being observed like a hunter eyeing a prey like this.

"I heard it before but you didn't land here because of choices, huh?" The Servant sneered. "So something happened that you were forced to inhabit a makeshift vessel that useless. Probably some sort of life-and-death struggle which can blind you from making proper decisions. And it looks like you still have the weakling view which further caused you to make a harmless vessel that won't automatically steal prana from nearby living beings while you were knocked out. You really _are_ useless."

Guh… That's harsh, even from you, Saber…

"Hmph. In the end, it's because you prioritized others above you that this all happened in the first place. You haven't changed, _Homunculus._ "

"What can I say? I just can't leave them alone." I complained.

Unfortunately, the complaint fell on deaf ears so I grumbled while my Servant smirked like a haughty tyrant she was. If only there was something that could overturn the odds – _oh._

This is the perfect timing to deal with _that issue…_

"Say, Saber. How does it feel being unable to understand your parent?"

The girl almost dropped her liquor bottle. I even got surprised at how blank her expression was, as she hung her mouth open like a fish outside the water with eyes similar to dots.

…I might have stepped on the landmine very hard.

"No, wait. It's not related to your case. I didn't mean ill will at all!"

 _"And what kind of shitty intention do you have in your ridiculously empty head, you scumbag…!"_

Ah… This is bad. I think my head is going to be lopped off for sure tonight…

Thankfully, she asked what intention I have so I should just test my luck like I have always been doing until now.

Coughing into my fist, I straightened my back and faced Saber. "Kokabiel… The leader of that small army of Fallen Angels – he addressed me as his 'son' so many times that everyone in the school ground must have heard it."

"Haa…?" Saber tilted her head with one eyebrow raised in confusion.

Her expression clearly showed 'What does that have anything to do with me?' question. Such a simpleton, but as if I will let myself stepping on another death trap.

"He also mentioned that I will know when the time comes, but considering there is another Servant we have to deal with… Probably, another Master assisted Kokabiel in this incident." I explained to the clueless Saber.

"Isn't that obvious? There's a Magus out there—"

"This world _doesn't have the concept of Magecraft_ , Saber."

As silence settled in, I could tell that the Servant had already processed my words. Her dumbfounded expression was soon swept off and she sharpened her gaze. Thus—

"This world is still living in the Age of Gods," I crossed my fingers and covered the lower part of my face behind them. "Without mythical age ending, there is no need for modern thaumaturgy which could only reproduce inferior forms of Magic. The Devils can interfere with the cycle of life-and-death and there are self-evolving devices for ordinary humans to fight against the Phantasms toe-to-toe when given enough time."

Not to mention heroes still existed in the form of reincarnated heroes and descendants. Why should there be a need of summoning a Heroic Spirit, which is extremely harder to do without the assistance of the Holy Grail in spite of searching already existing heroes?

Something doesn't add up. Something is fishy and I knew nothing about it.

"So you think someone from our world appeared here…? That's not enough of a reason."

"I know," I agreed, rubbing my temple in exhaustion. "I wanted to know why and how another Servant could be summoned even though only _I_ have the means to do it. So much things don't make sense ever since I arrived here."

 _And above all else…_

"His words continued to plague my mind ever since then. Why would a high-ranked Fallen Angel adopt someone like me? Why could he die in bliss like that? I couldn't even fathom why he smiled even though _his son_ went against him in favor of his enemies."

I just couldn't understand it no matter how hard I could think of. I couldn't come up with any plausible possibility despite using all of my wisdom as a Dragon and as a Homunculus.

"That is why I asked you. What do you think, Saber?" I inquired her once again.

But there was only silence. The girl's expression clouded over as if she didn't have the answer to my question. But now that I think about it…

…perhaps I shouldn't have asked her. It might be presumptuous of me, yet I couldn't deny that there was a high chance Saber could never know it. Not when the two of us had never experienced the concept of being a part of a 'family' like normal people could.

Rising from the chair, I approached her and took away the liquor Saber held. She blinked when I examined the liquid contained within it, and drank it slowly. My throat was soon wetted by hot liquid and it warmed my stomach. My body reacted with a small, insignificant rise of temperature, the sense of lightheadedness already vanishing due to my reformed physical traits.

Helplessly I chuckled, "…I guess… We're not good enough as children to our parents, aren't we…?"

The Servant stared at me for a while before she scoffed. She looked away, took back her drink and emptied it down.

"Not all children succeed their parents," Saber breathed out. "However, don't lump me in together with you, stupid Master."

 _I know,_ I replied, standing next to my Servant as we looked up to the moon.

"So you want to finish your personal problems, then?" The girl asked, her ponytail swaying.

"Do you not wish to accompany me, Saber?" I replied, closing my eyelids to feel the cold night breeze.

"I've got nothing to do, and father is out there. If his Master assisted that Crow, then joining you will benefit me the most."

 _I see..._ "But what about the Excaliburs? I thought you were interested about them?"

"Meh. I've got no interest in something that is wrongly named and has been repurposed for something else," Saber replied flatly. "Only the original Sword of Appointment I have an interest in."

Is that so? If so—

"Let's go then," I turned around, leaving the embrace of the moonlight which streamed into the room. "It might be best if we go straight to their base. Let's find where 'Grigori' is."

* * *

 **-Author's Rambling (Long)-**

 _"And so Ends One Arc..."_

Sigh. It took much more time than I thought it should have been. But I don't want to compromise when making something, especially during my second attempt in writing fanfics. To make this end in a good note, let's just have a toast. It's good enough that I could finish this work before the end of the year while not being swamped by assignments or health issues.

Now let's take a look at this Arc as a whole. It's my first time in writing from something that already exists. Unlike my first fic, I have to follow a basic guideline with a number of casts while keeping the balance just right for everyone to receive satisfying screentimes. Especially during the final confrontation which I'm pretty sure just failed _spectacularly_ due to the one-sided Servants' battle easily pushing aside the DxD casts :p.

The biggest hurdle was the characterization. As always, my mind weaved many scenarios which seemed to like a variety of actions and reactions. No wonder the word count bloated (lol). I even had difficult time in building Kokabiel's portrayal. To prevent one-dimensional character, I decided to take a spin of what's already existing by fusing both the good and evil personas while keeping his agendas in check. Thankfully, the guy's so straight-laced that one couldn't ignore or doubt his words. As expected of a fallen angel, he's problematic (lol).

There's also the fact that the characters (particularly Sieg and DxD!Jeanne) have many issues to deal with. Sieg here has his own insecurities even after living as a small World Terminal but as they say, growing old and growing wise are two different things. I even went as far as making him ashamed that his transformation is, in a way, a cheat that doesn't solve everything. Though maybe I overdid it considering the receptions.

I intend to rewrite some parts of this Arc before going to the next stage. While there are considerable amount of problems I need to fix, they will end in the same result so it's just a matter of making alternative takes and a little screentime balancing for both the FA and the DxD.

I guess that's it for now. There will be an extra chapter after this so to those who have been waiting for Vali and Azazel's entrance, you can rejoice. The rest of the Servants, however, will be kept as a secret because I don't wanna spoil ya. See you later, everyone! Thanks for your supports and if you want to make this story better than now, do contribute by reviewing or signing up as a beta! There are always seats open as long as you have roomy schedule that won't strain yourself in the long-term. Bye!

P.S: Btw, the two chapters' worth of reviews have been answered in earlier chapter. Unfortunately, I still have something to clear up so newest ones (those in the first page) will be set for later dates, while fixing mistakes will follow right after.


	17. Side Story 1 - Preparing for the Future

Scorching flame blazed throughout the lands.

 _Red. Red. Red. Red. Red… Blood red color painted the ground and flowed in branching rivers, just like the pictures of hell._

As black soot floated down, the dark sky let loose raging thunders. Branches of lightning ran across the air, lighting up the dreadful landscape mercilessly. As if waiting for it, winged beings flew into the distance, accompanied by rays of white light.

 _Sparks were ignited and scattered like a blooming flower which soon withered away. But the moment the petals scattered, hundreds bodies stilled and fell like drops of rain._

The lines of light went up and down, spiraling and racing in search of another targets. On one side black winged beings were attacked, annihilated one-sidedly by the combined power of the angels.

"Not yet!" A black-haired man yelled, expanding his entire black wings and manifesting a magic circle behind his back. "This isn't over! Die, dogs of God!"

As hoarse roar echoed, vermilion light was blasted from the ground, opening a gigantic hole in the sky that could have easily swallowed an island nation.

It tore apart the white rays light alongside the angels who guarded the heaven. Not even a strand of hair was left in front of the incarnation of destruction, but the effects of the attack spread far away, from an edge to another edge of the battlefield.

Violent winds struck the forest, lifting up trees from the roots and carving deep wounds into the earth. Bodies of humans, monsters, Angels and Fallen Angels floated before they fell once again as lifeless corpses.

 _The trigger has been pulled. But what is left to fight? Is there a meaning behind this useless bloodshed?_

Suddenly from the horizon, a line of orbs of light shone. A magical bombardment was fired to the sky, falling as arrows of destruction which erased not only the body but also the soul.

One by one they fell, exploding upon hitting whatever thing in their ways. The landscape was quickly altered, disregarding the amount of dead bodies of warriors and innocents.

 _Cries of grief. Roar of anger. Hatred seeped in spewed out curses. Madness has arrived._

No one could stop it. Much had been sacrificed. So much lives were lost without being able to find their ways back to the reincarnation cycle. So much brilliant and brave souls were sacrificed so that the End could be reached.

 _And yet the war continued, disregarding those who are caught up in turmoil._

The bat-winged beings – Devils entered the fray. In front of their army made from seventy-two Pillars was one lone figure. Dreadful wasn't enough to describe the horror instilled by those who opposed him. That sort of accursed existence trampled corpses as casual as trudging through rocky road, a fearless grin plastered on his hideous face.

 _The Prince of Lies – Lucifer._

It was then a stream of light descended. The chaotic sky filled with black-red maelstrom was penetrated by rays of sacred light. From those light appeared white-winged servants of the Creator, and behind them the dazzling figure made Himself known to all that existed.

 _The Almighty. Final Judgment is here. The script has progressed to the final stage… huh?_

"And yet – what a sorry sight." A man muttered, his unfolded black wings stroked by winds that smelled like burned flesh.

His eyes traveled from left to right. All the way to the sky and down to the wasteland. From the Heaven to the Underworld that were interconnected with Grigori, this realm was the place closest to Earth but also the farthest.

"Dimensional boundary has… already cracked apart," He rubbed his throbbing temple. "If there's a large-scale conflict in the human realm, then what will happen next?"

The Fallen Angel snorted. He knew the answer. There was nothing more than complete annihilation. All the sides have picked their decisions, regardless of the opinions of other deities.

His opinion no longer mattered. Not when hatred chained even the mind of the wisest.

And so he surveyed his army. He looked back at his companions afterwards, then he observed the general of his front line army.

"Now – let the Armageddon begins!" The Watcher announced, laughing maniacally.

 _Stars have fallen. Not even the brightest light of the sun or the moon is shining in the abyss._

"Idiot," The Leader of Grigori exasperated. "Even though I haven't ordered him yet…"

He wondered if he had chosen wrongly. The right man for the right job, that saying was supposed to go that way and yet…

"No. I guess that's just how it is huh?" Azazel's gaze softened a bit, only hardening after a fraction of moment. "There's no longer anyone that will be waiting for us when this is over, so I guess it's a given."

As the Watcher took flight, his tainted feathers scattered. Hundreds. Thousands. The rest of the front line army departed, firing millions of vermilion arrows of light into the battlefield.

His body was wounded. Blood trickled down his wounds. It was a wonder how he could still survive despite being in such a sorry state. But the glee he expressed was a clear indication of his joy.

 _But is it truly like that?_

"…Azazel. It's time."

The man – Azazel nodded, and turned to face his comrades.

 _Huh?_

But what he saw was an empty field with a small patch of green appearing in the distance. His thoughts screeched to a halt all of a sudden. Why? How? But the answer was simple.

"Azazel." A feminine voice echoed, shaking up his memories with infinite waves of emotions.

There. Over there. What he saw was… _Who_ he saw was—!

* * *

 _"Azazel!"_

"Whoa!?"

The world returned back its colors. The Fallen Angel blinked, his eyes widening due to the shock and his mouth was hanging open like an idiot.

Sounds echoed. The ticking of the clock. The pounding of his heart. And the television which was left turned on for no reason.

After the third blink, he noticed a silver-haired youth standing not far from the doorsteps, scoffing.

"…A… dream?" Azazel wondered before he regained his composure. "Dammit. You almost scared me, _Vali._ "

"Hmph. Who told you sleeping in the sofa is good for your body and mind?" The youth – Vali snorted, crossing his arms.

 _Haa… Come on, don't give me that look._ Azazel wished he could wash away his shames, but it didn't look like that could happen anytime soon. So, all he could do was scratching his head and slumping his back against the luxurious sofa.

"Azazel, looks like your prediction was wrong," Vali said, ignoring his condition as usual. "Judging by the situation, it won't be a surprise if the irregular were to approach us personally."

Azazel glanced at him, then glanced at the table. There were a bottle of vodka with two empty glasses filled with half-melting ice cubes.

"I never expected him to actually hasten his plan," The blond man shook his head. "And to think he'd push the responsibilities onto me... That bumbling idiot. Always going out of his way just to cause more problems."

The Host of Divine Dividing scoffed, "That man, Kokabiel, had a headstart in all this. It's not impossible for him to take precaution and perceived your movement so there is nothing but our inflexibility to blame for."

 _Right. He got us by rushing his schedule to the limits. He_ learned, _but why couldn't he do that before?_

"Yeah yeah. Laugh it up, Vali. You can go now and send the letter to the sisters of Satans. Shemhaza will handle the heaven side." Azazel waved his hand.

"Oh? So it's time already?" Vali tilted his head.

"Of course. But don't provoke your rival too much," The Fallen Angel pointed with an index finger. "There will be a meeting between the Three Factions after so long so I don't need more problems in the way."

"What about _him?_ "

 _Hm...?_ Azazel paused a bit, sensing the smallest difference of inflection in the youth's voice. It was unusual for him to take some interests in something but...

 _Guess that's to be expected. It's not often a hero with_ that _caliber appeared in this realm. Not only that, there are several more gathering in a group..._

Dismissing the thought for later dates, Azazel blew air from his nose.

"I'll handle it personally. It wouldn't do if I let a havoc begins like you want."

 _Whatever you say_ , Vali replied and left the room. The sounds of door creaking open echoed until it was closed back; leaving the only occupant of the room to finally relax his shoulders.

"You dumbass. Do you need to go to that length just to recruit a Visitor? If you want to adopt a child, then just do it like a normal person would."

Although he was voicing out his complaints, it wasn't directed to anyone in particular. After all, there was no use if the subject had disappeared from existence. _Not even ashes had remained._

Rolling his gaze, Azazel picked up the bottle and poured its content into the hexagonal glass with a round ice cube in it.

The ice clinked against the glass' interior. When the glass was brought to his hold, hanging by his slender fingers like a cargo held by a crane, there was a reflection of a man with goatee due to the chandelier hanging above.

"...Honestly. You know that I'm not the right person for this job." Azazel once again complained, taking a sip of the vodka.

He wanted to rant more but he knew that there was no use crying over spilled milk. Everything was over. It had already happened. His companion would be written off as a traitor who went mad and planned to restart a war of extinction.

And then, it would also be written in history that in order to stop war from happening again, the traitor's son stood up and vanquished his father in the name of justice; just like a fairytale hero from somewhere.

"How classic," The man pursed his lips, placing the glass on the table. "In doing so, that means the world will acknowledge him as a powerful figure."

By being related as a direct relative, what Kokabiel had would automatically be transferred to him. Not only that, what he had gained by defeating his 'father' would also be known to many powerful figures.

Wealth. Strength. Fame. Position. Allies. And then _enemies._

"Despite knowing that he will be dragged into our affairs, you still insisted to take him in. Always so reckless, aren't you?" Azazel tilted his head, crossing his fingers.

 _What a bad joke,_ he thought. _At least have some sense of responsibility if you want to act like a parent._

Not Kokabiel. Not Barakiel. Not even himself. It seemed male Fallen Angels rarely could ever live a life they truly wanted. Even though they had desires and ambition, it was as if something always obstructed them from gaining total happiness.

 _Guess this is also the work of Fate… or is it now?_

"The world goes round and round…" The Leader of Grigori muttered. "In a Godless world, the rules have changed. And so there is no value in burdening ourselves with the past."

Grabbing the half-empty glass, he drunk the vodka in one swig. His throat burned, his body temperature rose and a satisfying dizziness consumed his mind. But he wasn't drunk, as he made a sound, completely refreshed.

"Keeping up a promise between men isn't my specialty," Azazel curved his lips upward. "But well… Welcoming a new family member with a bang _is_ a tradition."

 _If you want to run away at the last second just to laugh at me, then fine._

"I'll take up your challenge. I'm going to make sure your son from other dimension will feel more comfortable around us more so than staying around you, _buddy._ "

* * *

 **-Author's Rambling-**

 _"Wow, this is the shortest chapter ever."  
_

And so. This concludes the entire section of Excalibur Arc. It's actually pretty _damn_ _hard_ in writing Azazel's character. He's childish but mature in the strangest moment. Has a knack in teaching and researching but he always goofed around. He is supposed to be an adult and a mentor figure but his spirit is like a teenager in summer vacation. Not to mention his laziness and his tendency of pushing paperwork to his vice...

Summing it up, this guy is the weirdest character I've ever investigated. His multi-faceted personalities are a load of fun but it instead made his true nature even harder to grasp. I hope this version of Azazel is acceptable to you all.

And my apology for another addition of foreshadowing. I can't help it :p


	18. Chapter 16 - Summer Negotiation

The heat was undoubtedly affecting one's mood. It could even be said that the current environment and climate had changed the atmosphere of the town very drastically.

With less people walking through the daylight, indoor facilities such as stores, cafes or swimming pool became the choices many people took. It was quite baffling for someone who could ignore the stinging ray of the sun like me.

Nevertheless, summer had arrived. And in such a day, I was doing my usual business.

"Request denied." Sona Sitri said with a tone signing finality.

In the student council office of Kuoh Academy, I stood in front of her, the space between us filled with a mahogany desk which seemed furnished to an exquisite degree. The girl was glaring at me though I noticed crystalline liquid sliding down her well-toned cheek to her neck.

Pausing at the sight, I looked back, hearing muffled groans. They all came from the rest of the Student Council members who looked as if their vitality were drained by a Servant. The difference would be how they all were still conscious and instead of exhausted, they seemed… extremely lethargic.

"…Is it because you cannot mobilize anyone in this state?" I asked.

"Yes… and no," The Heiress of Sitri paused. "There is the right person for the request you have but currently, I am simply unable to accept it, Sieg- _kun_."

'Unable to accept it.' I processed the words and slowly nodded, coming to an understanding. If there was anything that the Devil of the 72 Pillars could not accept, it'd be…

"Is it regarding my true identity?" I assumed, receiving the girl's sharp gaze at full. "I take that as a yes. Does that mean you intend to cancel our contract?"

The contract I referred to was a pact between a sorcerer and a Devil. It was a simple trade relationship which was the closest in concept to the 'Law of Equivalent Exchange' in this strange world I wandered in.

Sitri and I – we forged a contract in terms of information before. As long as I can provide the required amount of information to her, the girl too will offer me the information I needed. A sort of give-and-take which was (apparently) the most popular and legal business available in this dimension's Moonlit World.

I still have yet to integrate completely with this world so perhaps what I did was too large of an offense to be pardoned for.

"…Sieg-kun. I'd like to ask you one thing."

Huh…? I inclined my chin and met Sitri's gaze. Those violet eyes were reflecting my figure like a still lake; calm and serene with bottomless depth that prevented any intrusion into her heart.

It entranced me, and I absentmindedly nodded. I realized my mistake too late as the Heiress of Sitri sucked in air and straightened her back. Closing her eyes, she stayed still for a moment before reopening them.

"Tell me honestly," She said. "Which side are you on?"

"…huh?"

"Please do not play dumb. Your comrades are heroes of the highest caliber – Servants, was it? They can summon mythical beast and blasted away one-third of the school field with just one swing of sword while you… You are undoubtedly _the_ Siegfried – the famous hero who slayed the Dragon King Fafnir," Sitri explained, narrowing her eyes to the limits. "But your actions, your words, and your answers are all contradicting each other. I can't even begin to imagine why you are here even though you were supposed to have died hundred years ago."

….

"I see. So you are suspicious of my conducts and motives." I nodded, stroking my chin in comprehension.

It was… How should I say? A move befitting a chess master. The girl before me, while young, is an heiress of a clan of famous Devils once serving the King of Magic. It was logical for her to factor every possibility, because survival warranted not only brute force alone, but also wisdom.

That was why she questioned me. She wished to know where I am standing at. Because humans did not take a side in the affairs of Angels, Fallen Angels, and Devils, this girl must know who I sided with or else something unwarranted could happen.

Unfortunately, her flaw would be that I was never a human or a hero, and that she wanted the truth to come out from my own mouth. Loathe as I wish to accept it, I have been born as a Magus after all.

"…is it impossible for you to be convinced with a little white lie?" I asked back, rubbing the back of my neck.

"Even if you didn't say that, my answer is still a no, Sieg-kun."

That's true enough. Lying is no longer an option if I wished to salvage the situation. I'd like to not cause much problems in this area too…

"Can you give me some time?" I heaved a sigh, scratching the back of my head. "I'd like to discuss this with my companions."

"Is it impossible to answer it right now?"

I tugged a bitter smile, "I can't. Not when 'our' survivals are at stake, Sitri-san."

Silence ensued, but not for long. Sitri heaved a sigh and relaxed, tensions leaving her shoulders.

"Very well. But please do answer it at maximum two days before summer break."

Summer break… Ah, it's the end of the semester parental meeting, if I remembered correctly. I nodded in agreement and stepped backwards.

After I turned around, I left the office and walked towards the staircase. At some point, the noise from outside drew me in to the windows and made me stop in contemplative silence. After a while, I decided to link my mind through the Telepathic Links with my Servants.

The lines instantly connected. But from the two different channels, I sensed one giving back a grumpy response while the other delivered it's complete opposite. Honestly, it was extremely easy to know who each Link represented as.

 _'What is it? I'm in the middle of something here.'_ So spoke Saber from the grumpy channel.

 _'Eyy? It's a call from Master! What is it? What is it?'_ And so spoke Rider from the lighthearted channel.

My expression loosened just by hearing their voices. While watching students in PE clothes circling over the school fields, I talked to them about what had happened and requested their opinions on the matter.

But I didn't expect this kind of response either.

 _'So what? Our covers are already blown over that time. What else will happen after we announced our standings?'_

Uhm… It might be true that nothing would happen. But Saber, don't you remember my position right now?

 _'You just can't decide, huh? What an indecisive fellow.'_

…I… can't disagree anymore. I hung my head down, hearing Rider's consolation but I couldn't lift off the depression washing over my heart.

After all, it was a honest-to-goodness, _the_ truth. I was torn between staying unaffiliated or to submit myself to the identity given onto my lap by Kokabiel. Even after agonizing over the matter and talking it out with Rider, I reached to a dead end over and over again.

Honestly, it was a matter that could decide my Fate and my future course of actions. And it was partly because I tried to keep everything about myself away from the native residents of this dimension.

 _'Uhm… Sieg, you sure you're okay there?'_ Rider interrupted, sounding concerned.

 _'Leave him be. It's time for him to pay for his due anyway. It will be nothing but a disgrace should anyone helped him right now.'_ Saber quipped, further showering salts on the wound.

Even if you said that, I _still_ didn't have the answer! As if everything could be _that_ simple, Saber!

 _'Then pick your choice already, you dolt!'_

"Augh…" I groaned, leaning my forehead against the window.

Ah. Even the Telepathic Link was cut-off. It didn't look like Saber would respond anymore…

Rider, what about you?

 _'Hmm…' He muttered. 'Sorry, Sieg. Saber's correct for once. This should be the time where you must plant your roots. If I helped you here, you will just get dragged around and around like before.'_

Mrk… So even you too, huh…

 _'Aha ha! Whatever your decision will be, this Astolfo will simply follow your footsteps and support your back to the very end! Ciao!'_

…

"…And so the two hung up," I commented sardonically, rubbing my hurting temple. "Aaah… Life is never easy."

By then, I decided that I should take this matter off my head to refresh my mood. When I straightened my back, I looked at one direction and noticed something off.

"…hm…?" I tilted my head. "There's something powerful being emitted from the old school building…"

I wonder what this sensation is. The fluctuation of prana within the school ground seemed different than the usual, and judging by the density…

"It's quite powerful, yet unstable. Even so, it's not hostile at all."

How curious. But perhaps I should try visiting my friends over there. It might help taking my mind off the polemic I am having right now.

* * *

"Eeeeeeeekkk!"

I have gotten used to various things in my long life as a dragon.

In fact, nothing could have surprised me any longer due to the absurdity that existed in the Reverse Side of the World. There were Phantasmal Beasts that could shred even the toughest heroes and there were also ancient races such as Divine Spirits with enormous level of Mysteries surrounding them.

Honestly, the surprise would be how a feeble existence such as I survived despite living around those monsters for centuries. It might be due to my insistence of not moving away from my treasure, or perhaps I was just too weak that none of them noticed my presence. Regardless—

"It's a wonder that I am surprised by this..." I sighed, wiping my face down with a hand.

A few dozen meters ahead was a group of teenagers doing their own activities as members of the Occult Research Club, three of them were people that I knew of very well while the rest were somewhat unfamiliar.

In fact, other than the blue-haired girl who I recalled as an Exorcist, the other was a blond… no, wait. Is that a girl, or is that a boy?

"…oh?" One of the teens noticed my presence and waved his hand. "Hey, Sieg! Perfect timing! Over here!"

Hmm…? I tilted my head, but chose to follow my friend – Hyoudou Issei's words. The girl next to him, Asia Argento curved a smile as a greeting and Yuuto Kiba nodded while giving a space for me to join in the line.

"What are you all doing?" I asked first, opening up the conversation.

"Eh… Training and getting to know the new member? How about we'll introduce you to Gasper?'

Gasper? Is that the person's name? Just as a premonition came to me, Issei shouted 'Gasper, Xenovia, Koneko-chan! Come here!' to gain the detached bunch's attention. Obviously, it was a success as they looked on my direction and immediately entered the circle.

Except for the blond shorty hanging on the tree branch, that is.

"Oh! If it's not Lord Siegfried…!" Xenovia Quarta suddenly muttered, much to everyone's shock and horrified reactions.

"Shh…! Xenovia, that's a top secret! Right, Sieg?" Issei looked back at me.

I smiled albeit bitterly, "I certainly preferred myself being addressed as 'Sieg', yes."

 _See,_ Issei told Quarta. The girl quickly apologized to me but I found it as scruffy so I immediately forgave her. But for some reasons, she placed a hand on her chest and closed her eyes.

"It is certainly impudent of me to just blurt your real name out like this. As such, I shall not bring up the topic any longer."

Mm. That is for the best, indeed. But what about—

"I can't go doooooowwwnn!"

…What?

"Oh come on! You already got up so you can go down for sure, Gasper!" Issei shouted to the person hugging the tree branch like a koala.

"Gya-kun, there is garlic waiting for you so go down now." Toujou said, presenting several garlics in her hands.

"We'll continue training once you're here." Quarta further added.

Unfortunately, it made the… strange child crying even more hysterical. It rendered me speechless.

"Sorry, Sieg. Our resident vampire has quite a severe symptom of being a shut-in."

…huh?

"Vampire, you say…?" I nearly choked before uttering out that question. "That one is…?"

"Unbelievable right? And it's a boy-in-drag too!"

"What…"

There... there should have been a limit to the wonders the world could provide but it seemed I could never receive a small break. I was even more dumbstruck when hearing that the… this… blond 'vampire' was a Halfling descending from a unique species called as Daywalker…

To tell the truth, there are so many things I want to retort to but I have too much problems in my mind that I automatically shelved them all. Forget about the crossbreeding that should have been impossible to happen, I wasn't even sure if I should be afraid of this bloodsucker which could have been labeled as a high-ranked Dead Apostle or be disappointed over the fact that he was a shut-in with a hundred cases of phobias.

"My head's hurting now…" I complained, rubbing my forehead slowly.

"Asia felt it more, you know?" Issei quipped.

"Uuu… And here I thought I could get along with another Bishop…"

Hearing Asia's lament while looking at the second Bishop of Gremory who screamed like a little girl for being thrown at with garlic painted a surreal image in my head. Now, I wonder if coming here was a mistake or not—

"Oh yeah!" Quarta suddenly exclaimed, turned towards me and bowed down. "Sieg-dono, I wish to express my gratitude for you."

"…Hm? Gratitude…?" I tilted my head.

Could it be…?

"As you have advised before, I decided to trust my heart's voice and acted according to it," Xenovia explained and bowed her head. "As a result, I have joined the Gremory and reincarnated into a Low-class Devil."

…huh? You did? I was surprised by the sudden revelation but when I glanced at the troubled expressions of Issei and the others, they seemed to have experienced similar event. Or it might be that they have listened to something similar.

"It can be said that after throwing the life as a follower of God, I have embraced the path of evil. But make no mistake, for it is my desire to experience the life as a person with free will. So to speak, I would like to live properly as a girl and becoming a Devil allowed me to do that."

…to live… as a girl…? I wasn't sure of what to say now. My shoulder was tapped from the right side and Yuuto leaned, whispering to me.

"As you can see, Xenovia-kun is a sheltered girl. Like Asia-san and I, she has lived the life of a believer for the entirety of her life until the incident that changed her world view."

Ah. So in her case, now that she was allowed to choose her path, she wished to embrace the life she was never given the chance of? Somehow, it reminded me of Fiore's dilemma but it felt… different.

"How should I put it?" Issei crossed his arms. "Basically, Xenovia here wants to live like a normal person just like Asia."

"…isn't that impossible? She has been branded by the Church as a traitor, right?"

"Yeah. But she doesn't want to join with the Fallen Angels either so the place that could shelter her is…"

The Devils. I see now… To protect herself, and to follow through her heart's voice without having to alienate herself from the common world, Quarta decided to abandon her humanity. It's true that by having to serve one of the 72 Pillars, safety as well as covers were guaranteed. Like this, her problem with the Church would also be solved since the organization could make an excuse that the Taboo she had known was nothing but an excuse of a lowly Devil.

No matter how corrupted the Church had become in this dimension, it was still organized by humans, and humans would always find an excuse to reassure themselves from potential harms. It is far easier to convince people by twisting around facts rather than lying without a basis. Human history has proven that, after all.

"I understand. If so, I will not comment any further about your decision. In the end, it is by your own will that you chose this path." I nodded down.

No matter how selfish or trivial her reasoning is, becoming a Devil is truly the ideal solution for Xenovia Quarta.

"Yes. I have no regret so I believe this is the correct path my heart desired." Quarta tugged a thin smile.

As soon as the topic ended, the tension was released and the conversation that followed after it was lighthearted, if not fulfilling for me. At the very least, it allowed me to ease my mind a little—

"Hmm…? Speaking of which, why are you here, Sieg-san?"

Until Argento inquired me, that is.

I knew that she didn't mean harm, but it didn't comfort for a moment when all eyes gathered on me.

"Well, about that…" I scratched my cheek, wondering what excuse I was supposed to use.

"Come to think of it... Issei, why are you fine being around Sieg-dono?" Quarta suddenly interrupted.

Huh? Everyone practically blinked at her question but the former exorcist raised an index finger.

"He is a famous human hero, and is someone who once slayed one of the Five Dragon Kings, Fafnir," Quarta explained. "Furthermore, he's an immortal and he possesses holy as well as demonic swords that are anti-dragon weapons. Issei, Sieg-dono is your archenemy, no?"

The boy next to me gulped down. He nodded in understanding but he soon awkwardly smiled.

"Because... Sieg is a friend?"

"Just because of that?"

"Well, I do have to agree that hearing his legend from Kiba sent a chill down my spine. Even Ddraig is somewhat wary but.."

 _How should I say it,_ Issei scratched his head.

"He doesn't give off the feeling of a bad guy, right, Ise-san?" Argento smiled.

"That. And Sieg here saved our asses more than once so I'm indebted to him."

...saving them...? The Devils? Since when did I do that...? While I wondered about it, my sleeve was tugged and I looked down, finding Toujou looking up at me.

"Buchou's engagement." She answered the doubts in my mind.

"...ah. Is that how it is?"

I unexpectedly muttered out but since I understood the reason somehow, I let it slide. I didn't think Issei would think so much about little things I've done but it made me see him in a new light.

Normally, people wouldn't care so much about all the things happening around them. Perhaps behind his simplicity, Issei too has had his own worries and views about the world surrounding him.

"But I don't think I did anything great..." I heaved. "Even the case of Excalibur... Had I connected the dots even faster, then I wouldn't have inconvenienced everyone."

"The opponent was a survivor of the Great War, Sieg-kun. I do believe getting outwitted by him is expected." Yuuto tried to reassured me.

"And he's got ridiculous supporters behind him while we are stuck in a lethargic state due to the daylight. Actually, even if we could stop him, his army and that scary dark knight would have steamrolled us." Issei remarked, giving out a series of dry laughs.

"Uuu... Just remembering already made it difficult to sleep." Argento groaned.

"Yeah... That kind of battle is still way too far for the current us so you got that, Sieg? We're thankful for your help!"

One-sidedly, as if without remorse at all, Issei presented me with such honest gratitude. I was troubled by how blunt he was but it made me feel bad if I don't at least accept his sign of trust.

And so, I silently nodded and the mood turned harmonious.

If not for a loud cackle that stilled the Devils.

"T-this voice...!"

I looked at Issei but his complexion was pale, and his eyes were shaking. The impression I obtained wasn't good at all, and reflected in his eyes was a person who stood behind—me!?

"Hoh ho, so you're _his_ son?" A hand tapped my shoulder, strong and firm. "Hmm… So that's it. You're certainly the type who will trigger his withered paternal instinct."

"Who are… you?"

How come he was there? How come I didn't notice his presence at all? Even though the scent I sensed was that of a supernatural being, I couldn't detect it until the last second. Did he conceal his power? But the flow of prana wasn't disturbed at all.

A spell? A Mystic Code? A technique? Or is it simply because of my neglectfulness? As if sensing the chaotic thoughts that flooded my mind, the intruder smiled mischievously, his black and blond hair swaying as he nodded before rubbing his goatee.

Then, Issei shouted the mysterious man's name.

"Azazel!?"

* * *

Azazel, the leader of Grigori and the first Fallen Angel.

In summary, he was the one who commanded the entire Fallen Angels alongside the rest of the Watchers. He was also the one who first proposed ceasefire and retreated his Faction in the Great War. Because of his actions, a fragile peace was formed and lasted until today.

For the target of my search to stand right in front of me was an incredibly baffling thing. But even more shocking matter would be…

"Oh, sorry for the clutters. I usually asked for Devil-kun's assistance to clean up this room. Actually, I wasn't expecting to meet you when I strolled to check on the various Sacred Gears in this town," So the Fallen Angel said, opening a small refrigerator and taking out a bottle of alcohol. "Sit wherever you like for now."

I rolled my gaze from side to side, checking on the interiors that seemed luxurious and extravagant. It didn't seem like there was any trap but—

 _'Should we be ready?'_ A Telepathic Link from Rider entered my mind.

I don't think it's necessary for now. I want you and Saber to guard the perimeter in case of something happening, though.

 _'Keh! Well, aren't you being arrogant now?'_ Saber huffed.

Perhaps. My prana and physical condition is at optimum right now so I doubt even a nifty trick of a Caster can stop me. I also have a plan should things go down the south so I am certain I can live through this one.

…Do you hate this side of me, Saber?

 _'No. It shows that you're not as hopeless as I thought you are. But letting your guard down for a second and I will kill you for sure.'_

 _I know._ Shifting my eyes back to capture the Fallen Angel, I decided to humor him and sat down in the sofa.

Azazel grinned and followed, though he sat across of me and crossed his legs atop each other.

He then asked, "How's life going on for you? Are you enjoying yourself?"

"…I do believe such question is inappropriate in a formal meeting." I answered with a half-glare.

"Oh, come on! It's not like I want to invite you to my Faction! Do you even know why I brought you lot here?" Azazel leaned forward his upper body. "I'm just having a chat with my late buddy's son. There's nothing else in my agenda."

…If only you aren't snickering, I'd have given you the benefit of doubt.

"And? That's not a good reason for you to drag me all the way here." I closed an eye. "The Devils seemed to have gotten restless after all the stunts your comrade has done. Won't this make you stuck in a more difficult position?"

"Hah! The only troubled one would be you alone," Azazel pointed at me. "How does it feel being adopted by a bigwig? Do you realize the weight of it now?"

…that's…

"Be that as it may, my circumstance is not related with this, right?"

 _You just don't get it,_ Azazel shook his head, smiling as if he was ridiculing me. Somehow, it irritated me since I felt like I was being underestimated.

"Cutting to the chase, the problem is the influence of your presence to everyone." Azazel reformed his sitting posture and leaned his upper body forward, tapping the surface of the knee-high table with his finger. "You're a bearer of incredible power and fame. Let's say that your cover story is the truth, you also have two additional Christian Heroes backing you up, both of whom having notorious fame as delinquents to common laws."

"...I will not deny nor acknowledge the things stated about my companions. But what do you mean by 'cover story'?"

"Well, isn't it because you've been spreading misguiding stories to everyone that wishes to know you?"

At once my body stiffened, and my eyes widened to the utmost limits. I nearly forgot to breathe but immediately I crushed that feeling and concentrated in my next step.

"...I don't know what you are talking about." I put up an excuse.

"Hah! You're bad at lying!"

 _But at least that side is similar,_ Azazel further laughed. Unfortunately, I could no longer stay calm. Being stuck in a situation like this would disadvantage me more. I have to do something yet...

What is it? What am I supposed to do...? Not only do I have nothing to defend myself, I knew nothing in regard of the Leader of Grigori sitting in front of me. Not his past. Not his abilities. Not even his tendencies or weaknesses.

"Oh. That look... Looks like only now you've realized how difficult it is for you to gain leverage with so little information," Azazel's smile crooked and he placed a finger on his chin. "But it's too late, you know? Even with powerful allies and your own strength, your merry party consisted of only three people. Make it two in case you see yourself as a general more than a fighter."

 _That's hardly enough to take on the entire world,_ he finished with a matter-of-fact tone.

Even though he was speaking so casually about that, it frustrated me even more. I clenched my teeth, suppressing the blood that began to boil in my veins but it took all of my efforts just to do that.

How strange. Even though I rarely ever expressed emotions, this man's words triggered a reaction that surpassed even my wildest expectation. It wasn't only because of him knowing how to use words, but...

"Ah. So 'my' pride doesn't allow it, huh?"

How immature. After my vessel was reformed, now my mind is being affected by it; by the identity that made up what I am.

To begin with, Phantasmal Beasts possessed extremely high intellects and strength. They take pride in what they have and look down on those who have less than what they have. This mindset was an instinct passed down through blood and blazing trials. It had existed from the beginning of creation and was refined by time, over and over until it could no longer be differentiated.

Of course, there is no exception, even to the Transcendent Kind such as Dragons.

"Honestly, there should be a limit to how much interference I could have in life." I shook my head to wash away the tensions burdening my shoulders and arms.

Naturally, a bitter smile emerged on my face.

"Is it that fun for you to uncover the truth, Azazel?"

The blond man snorted, "Of course it does. The romance of research lies right there, kid."

The ice cubes in the glass clinked, its size had shrunken considerably due to exposure to the room temperature.

Even so, I didn't expect time passing by so fast like this.

"So what is your demand? I know that I am affecting the flows of life those who are not humans have, but I never meant to do that. It just happened that way."

"Right right. You don't look like someone who can lie to save your own skin but at least you're listening to what other people said." Azazel exasperated. "Vali could have at least learned one or two things from you."

Hmm...? While I wondered who he was talking about, the Fallen Angel proceed on with the talk.

"Well, since the leverage is on my side, I'd like to make things clear first. I don't plan on using you or your companions as tools," He began. "They're cute, at least one of them is but they aren't cut-out for the kind of job we have. Besides, this town is going to get really busy in the next few weeks so I'm definitely not going to trouble myself more than necessary."

...I wasn't comfortable with the last part but judging from his frivolousness, I guess I should just steer clear from the topic. I intend to leave the town once I obtained enough information anyway so-

"I hope it will not restrain my freedom or even taking the right of picking a choice away from me." I said bluntly.

"Ha! No matter how much I want to research about your way in appearing under everyone's nose, too bad that time has changed. In fact, the world has changed considerably in the last couple thousand years, you know?"

That's true. Ignoring how quick human advancement is, from what I've learned, the Moonlit World too had its own fair changes ever since the so-called Great War occurred.

"Thus, I just have one simple request for you." Azazel leveled his gaze.

"That request is...?" I replied in kind.

The man then smiled, "I want you to fill in the seat left behind by your useless father, o _Visitor from Other Dimension-kun_."

...huh?

* * *

 **-Author's Rambling-**

 _"And cut...! Thanks for the hard work there, you guys."_

This chapter is, as you can see, something I just whipped out in a matter of few hours before the end of the years. But let's be honest. I have too much things on my hands and since I'm the eldest son in the house, the duty of taking care of menial tasks landed on my hands without much discussion. Other than that, happy new year, folks. I haven't been active in the FFnet because I'm discussing things and sending out the plot bunnies in other forums. Also, I still have my Original Story lying in the dust to be purified before it can be restarted so yeah. I'm terribly busy.

About this chapter, though... I guess there's not much to say other than character introduction spiced with a slice of life and sudden revelation in the end. It's a very, very simple chapter but without displaying what the future might hold. It's a good thing that I can now confidently 'fuck you, canon events!' so let's just hope I won't get crazy in the process. Because I don't want to spoil you all, let's skip this and jump to the next issue.

Other than simultaneous releases of chapters to both this story and my other story (the IS one), you might have noticed I have written another story which is totally unrelated with the candidates on my profile. Yes, it's a Mahou Shoujo series crossed with Ecchi Harem series. Yes, it's a DxD crossover. And yes, the crossed series is 'Yuuki Yuuna wa Yuusha de aru!'. It's the first time I've ever tried writing a story with a Mahou Shoujo theme in it but eh, there is a first time to everything. Please do check it if you are bored or curious.

For now, that's it for me. Once again, happy new year and have a nice day, folks!

* * *

 **RAC!**

King0fP0wer: It's nothing, really. I guess I'm just bored to the death with recurring questions about the same topic so there's no need to pay attention about it. Well, since Sieg looks like Siegfried, he's about 170cm if you want to stretch it. In canon, he's actually even shorter than Laeticia you see and he's quite... let's just say androgynous so you wouldn't even think of him as 'manly' or 'dangerous' because he's got no trait (be it in size, height or even face) that can impose such impression at all from the start. Also, I understand your anger but ignoring such people work wonder sometimes.

Student: This chapter answers your question in regards of where Sieg and his Servants will fit in. Since Devil society has been done completely and thoroughly via canon DxD, I think it's wiser to start from the closest one after them, which is the Grigori. Meanwhile, the winning Servants are... unfortunately, your hope could not be granted. Sorry, but for enjoyment sake, bear with the aura of mysteries that will envelop this Arc.

Erastone: Embarrassingly enough, the Governor himself went all the way to meet him directly while they're in a Devil's territory too... As usual, Sieg has poor luck when it comes to planning ahead, lol.

RandomBoredGuy: Heh he... it will be explained how did people got to know it. But actually, other universe has appeared ever since Slash-Dog spin-off appeared though it's only the Grigori that knows it. The only question is just the 'how' and 'why', really.

Azrael: Hm, well, it's at the beginning though the 'when' is still uncertain. Eh... ancient people are always known with their longevity and Servants are tailored to exist indefinitely as long as certain requirements are met so yeah... Astolfo is going to have lots of fun.

Guest-san: And they're both terrible children, though 'problematic' (mondaiji) might be the best way to describe them.

God-King Ghidora: I'm not sure with how you have other reviewers' comments on your own but removing them, I can understand your point somewhat. I do intend to portray Azazel like that but suddenly fleshing him out completely will take out his development and understanding from Sieg's part. There is a need of an interaction to show such sides of him or else there will be disconnects somewhere on the line.

Azum: Yeah... the Excalibur Arc just suddenly doubled in length because of the foreshadowings and characterization taken way too far. I thought of that arc as something that can kickstart the plot while also create a snowball effect to logically derail canon. It's just my selfishness to make a storyline only mine could ever have, really.

CCG's Ninja: For your question, because it's short and because I needed to take an end-of-the-year vacation. I've been having headache about my third semester's scores so I'm trying to play until I get bored so that I can concentrate fully in the next semester.

Mr. Tanaka: Well, Issei's redeeming quality only appeared halfway later in the volume so it's a given his first impression will cause some sort of bias. Don't worry, bashing is not something I like either so you can rejoice for that. For your question... Eh, the super dangerous ones (read:crazies) aren't going to appear so that leaves... Well, ain't it obvious? Issei's in for another rough time, huh?

Kirin: Azazel is very tricky so I have a hard time in picking out where should he have his hidden depth. It's fun to imagine what kind of life every character has so... minus Issei's default harem and entourage, I'll probably flesh out the support chars and antagonists to give it a bigger sense of Fate. I do have the question about why and how is Akeno related with this.

Shaker: If you remembered what Sieg did during the beginning of the story, you will know why the latter is more likely to visit him. About Azazel... It's a way for him to get back on his peers who always got a step ahead of him in building long-lasting relationships. Can never forsake how childish he is, right?

Mard Geer T: See above? Sona noticed how much things are contradicting each other and Azazel easily pointed out the honest truth. Honestly, you just need to stop being a push-over in front of Sieg and he's going to cave in from the inside. That's what he gets for being a complete shut-in in an environment that is everlastingly hostile to him.


	19. Chapter 17 - Problem Doesn't Come Alone

"...You know, there are so much I wish to ask you right now but..." I sighed. "Since when did you figure it out?"

The Fallen Angel merely smirked at my question. It was getting tiring rather than irritating at this point but I endured and waited patiently for the answer.

Fortunately, my efforts were paid in full.

"Well, it's nothing hard to understand. You can even say that it's because of experience but..." Azazel paused. "If I were to explain it, it's because several months ago, there was a great disturbance spreading from the end of this world."

A great disturbance… spreading from the end of this world…? I pondered what those words meant but I couldn't obtain any clue at all.

"It first appeared as a tiny pinhole. Though my Faction always monitored 'that place' due to a reason, tiny hole like that often appeared due to the instability of that realm and the doing of a certain being that had been living over there. As such, our observers didn't pay heed of it."

 _But suddenly, the situation dramatically changed—_

Once he said that, I felt the tension drifting in the air. But I raised an eyebrow at it.

Despite saying all that, there was no hostility present in his voice. Instead of showing urgency or solemnness, his eyes seemed to sparkle with delight. And cheerfully, almost childishly, he explained.

"The tiny crack expanded, eroding the entire place. Followed by erratic movements of that monstrosity, I had no choice but to pull back my agents from the place. And then… And then _it happened._ "

I dreaded his next words. I could tell what he meant at this point. But still, I allowed the man – Azazel to finish his tale.

"An enormous presence passed through the crack, shattering a rule of the world and replacing it with a new set of it. It was something like no other _even though_ _the original still existed in a different form_. It was an irregular, an outsider from the system of the world that not even I know of."

 _And that outsider—_

"…is me." I huffed, shaking my head as the man in front of me cackled. "Does that mean you have found out my origin as well, Azazel?"

"Why, of course I have!" The Fallen Angel stood up from his seat, raising his hands to the air. "The wavelength of your power and soul is nearly identical with two existences! In fact, it's almost a complete match in such a strange way that it shouldn't have been possible at all!"

 _But I won't blurt it out yet,_ he added in full glee. It made me to question his reasoning and his purpose but then Azazel pointed an index finger at me.

"I haven't solved _why_ and _how_ could an oddity such as you existed. This is a mystery like no other, a hidden truth that might be the 'only one' in the entire world, both in this dimension and yours. As such…"

"You will not tolerate receiving an answer right from my mouth… huh?" I scoffed. "I see now. You are quite a curious individual. Is that trait something all Fallen Angels shared?"

"Well, you of all people should have known it, right, _Dragon-kun_?"

…That's true. Other than Sona Sitri, the only person who demanded mutual exchange in terms of information was only Kokabiel alone. Those two possessed a high level of inquisitiveness despite being supernatural beings, and the latter was smart enough to move three steps beyond my calculation.

I rubbed the bridge of my nose when I remembered the latest incident I was involved in.

"Honestly, this is getting harder and harder…"

The longer I lived, the more frequent I encountered complicated matters. Then, the more I tried to think of a solution to a supposedly simple problem, the larger the number of problems that appeared in my path.

Why does everything have to be so needlessly difficult? Fighting a Holy Grail War is far simpler and direct than this all…

"Hoh? I didn't expect you to be conflicted by something like this." Azazel muttered.

I sent a half-glare at him. "Do you think I look like someone who has experienced a long, fulfilled life? I abandoned the mortal realm _after_ I was born to the world for several weeks."

And not only that, for centuries have I lived among the most dangerous entities fabled only in legends and wildest rumors. If there was something I should have been surprised at, it would be how my identity still persisted even though I was surrounded by avatars of madness every single day.

Unfortunately or perhaps fortunately, I was never born as a human. Acknowledging the abnormal side of the world was something I had no choice of because I too am a resident of that side known only to the minority of the human population.

"Is that so? And yet you showed comprehension that is unlike a child at all." Azazel remarked, returning back to sit in the sofa.

"Indeed. I was born as a complete being. The moment I was created, I am already an independent, fully mature individual both in body and mind," I answered simply without explaining the lengthy details, just as the Fallen Angel wanted. "But we are now straying off from the topic. I think you have just proposed a position in your Faction to me even though you said earlier that you don't intend to use me or my companions."

What do you mean by that? What are you intending to do? I knew that saying those questions would be redundant so I kept quiet and merely stared at the Leader of the Fallen Angels.

Besides, it's not like he didn't notice my intention.

Thus, Azazel nodded down. "Ah, yeah. About that, have you heard about it?"

"About what?"

"A peace conference between the Three Biblical Factions. It will be held in this town in about… Well, since the designated place is at the base of the two young Devils, so in their words… It will happen several days after the end of the first term."

…

…huh?

"What… did you just say?" I stuttered, unable to comprehend the meaning of Azazel's words. "Are you saying that there will be a meeting between the Three Biblical Factions… soon?"

"You got it right, kiddo."

"Right in this town? Right on the spot where the thickest leylines resided in?"

"Ayyup."

"And this meeting is between… who?"

"Well, there's me, the representative of Heaven Michael… And there's one of the Four Satans, Sirzechs Lucifer." Azazel showed three fingers. "There will also be a lot of big shots with each Faction bringing some minions as security guards. It's the first peaceful meeting between Factions who once antagonized each other to the bones that we almost went extinct so I guess this much is a given."

…

…that's it. I had enough of this. I give up understanding how this dimension works.

As I thought, interacting with a full nonhuman being could never be good for one's own sanity or common sense. Heck, I doubt human comprehension could be applied to the likes of these creatures.

"At least… May I ask what you think of this matter…?" I asked, feeling exhausted already.

"Hmm... If all goes well, then we're going to have a long period of peace without hostility. If the worst happened, another Great War might happen." Azazel leaned back, waving his hand lightly. "It's the usual business, really."

I am questioning your standard of 'usual business', but now that I think about it, a being like Azazel must have participated in the Great War as well. If so, this situation was something similar; a moment where the fate of the world lied on a fragile balance.

"Does experiencing this situation for so many times made you be so laidback?"

"Something like that." The Fallen Angel laughed. "Though saying that, if you don't even make an effort for it, there's no way you can grasp the future you want, right?"

"…I can't disagree anymore." I huffed, curving down my lips a little. "Then? May I ask where will my position be in this peace conference?"

"Oh? Have you finally agreed?"

As if. Even _I_ know that blindly listening to someone's words would just endanger myself. When I told him that I'd try to consider everything once I listened to what he has, Azazel acknowledged it with a simple gesture.

"Well, I guess that is just fair," He said. "Then why don't we move on to the real deal? My first proposition is that I want you to accept what Kokabiel wished of you."

"Now that's extremely direct, even from you…" I rolled my eyes to the side. "Are you saying that I have to keep up this veil of confusion without having myself officially related with your Faction? For what reason do we have to keep the charade on?"

"There's the protection and security you can make use of," The blond man pointed out. "Your current status is unaffiliated but allying yourself with any supernatural community will bolster their strength greatly. The German Hero is a national figure with deep roots and widespread fame, so it's best for you not to shake things up by reviving a fading mythological faction. Wouldn't want the rest to enter the fray and make things harder than as is."

I see. I can tell that it's impossible for me to stay undetected for long even if I did not transform into Siegfried. I've been thinking the same thing ever since the Excalibur incident was over but I had nothing to prove it all.

At least now there's a confirmation from the native of this dimension.

If so… that means I'm now holding a power that can tip the already fragile balance. However, since as far as I know, the Biblical Factions are the most active and well-known ever since the dawn of Christian era, I guess that being affiliated with one of them will at least diminish the influence of my presence to the rest of the Moonlit World.

"But what about the Devils and the force of Heaven?" I remarked, recalling the content of the Grigori's leader's business. "Wouldn't my presence create an imbalance among the Three Biblical Factions?"

"Heroes are certainly a huge deal but do you think you can kill a God with just an enchanted demonic sword and a Dragon Breath?" Azazel closed an eye. "Nowadays, the Sacred Gears are the trend, especially the bugs of the system – the Longinus Series. When mastered, any Longinus Series Sacred Gear is fully capable of changing the shape of a continent. Even killing God is possible in theory so we are more wary of one side possessing more of them rather than human Champions."

That's… a valid argument. So that means unless a human Hero possessed a powerful Sacred Gear, then they aren't given much importance. It certainly allowed some more freedom of movement in my part, too…

"And what is my position in all this?"

"I want you to be a witness."

…huh?

"The previous incident Kokabiel incited… Well, with him dead, not one soul can ever know his true motive." Azazel sighed. "Why did he steal the Excaliburs? Why did he intend to restart the Great War at this kind of timing? From where did he move in a great number of his followers with an addition of a legendary hero who was supposed to have been dead for more than a thousand years? Why did he call _you_ as his _son_ and let you destroy the meticulous plan he has painstakingly created?"

Azazel pointed at me. His smile had dissolved into solemnness and it was if I was facing a different person.

"The truth is shrouded in mysteries. And yet, nobody could ever know what has actually happened. The Devils and the Church are the victims of this incident but the ones who closed the case was _you,_ Dragon-kun." A glint appeared in the man's eyes. "You're the closest to him in terms of connection, and you are also the one who confronted him to his dying breath. You have the responsibility to shoulder the burdens Kokabiel has left behind, no matter how you wish to deny it."

"…"

"I'm sorry to say this, but this is one thing you cannot avoid. All I can do for you is by assisting you in my own ways, and even this is the best method I can come up with."

 _Except,_ he added. There was a stress on that particular word and I somehow had a feeling I knew what he intended to propose next.

"Do you want to join my Faction? That will smooth things out real good but do you have the intention to expose yourself to the world for more than this?" The Fallen Angel asked. "Do you have enough resolve to submit yourself to our terms and become my ally, even while knowing that you will have to turn the lies that have been made as the truth?"

To that question filled with nothing but seriousness, I sat still in silence.

To abandon some of my freedom to secure my future, or to go against the flow and resist my Fate. To continue lying to others and to myself, or to come out straight with honesty no matter how painful it will be afterwards. There branching paths ahead of me, and yet…

Even as I crossed my fingers and dived into the depth of my consciousness to search for an answer, what stood before my eyes was an insurmountable wall surrounded with pitch-black darkness. I couldn't find it no matter how hard I tried to think of a solution. There was nothing that could be used as a clue and there was nobody I could rely on; because this is something that only I can decide.

Thus… "…Give me a little time to consider this all, Azazel."

As if expecting that answer, the Fallen Angel chuckled.

"Yep. Go on and think about it really well, Dragon-kun. That is your right, after all."

* * *

"Oh?" Rider muttered, hopping off the lamppost he leaned his back to and waving his hand. "Hey, Sieg! Has the talk finished already?"

Seeing the Servant all cheerful and carefree like that caused me to smile without me noticing it. Waving my hand back at him, I nodded down to his question.

"For now, at least." I said, beginning to walk with Rider on my side. "Where's Saber?"

"Oh, Her Highness went off for a grub, saying she's got bored or something," said Rider with his thumb pointing randomly.

Then he made a sound as if he got an idea. Grabbing my arm, he dragged me and upped his pace.

"Oh yeah, let's go get some lunch, Sieg!" He said excitedly. "I heard there's a good one in the department store nearby!"

Hm… yeah. That would be grea—huh?

"Hn? What's wrong, Sieg?" Rider inquired me, but I wasn't listening to him at the moment.

We were standing on the roadside, walking through the pedestrian path with the direction straight towards the town. Even so, my eyes were drawn to the other side of the road, at a spot across from our location.

There was someone there. A child, judging from her stature, figure and physical feature. She had black hair but her eyes were dull, as if there was nothing that could tell me what she was thinking.

As I stared at her, observing her for reasons unknown to her, the child too did the same by meeting my gaze after lowering and rising her almond-shaped gray eyes. Her head slowly tilted, her black hair swaying and her lips muttered out words.

Words that even I could never expect. A faint sentence that I could never forget soon afterwards.

 _"Found you – Fafnir."_

When I blinked my eyes, the girl had already vanished.

There was nothing left on that spot. But not even the stinging ray of the sun nor Rider's frequent calls pulled me back to reality. I felt as if the cold hands of Death were clutching my heart and my blood ran cold upon recalling the child – the young girl's words.

Until I released the breath I was holding in out of reflex, I stood like a stone statue, gazing at the place that mysterious girl bearing unimaginable power once stood on.

"Sieg…? Hey! Stop ignoring me!"

…It can't be… right? But if Devils were to exist and the Christian God perished, then… As I looked at Rider, my eyes widened upon realizing that _not even Servants could notice that nightmarish existence._

I immediately grabbed my companion's shoulders and faced his gaze head-on.

"Rider, tell Saber to go to the Kuoh Academy's Old School Building." I commanded him.

"Huh? Wait, what are you—"

Before he could finish, I was already letting him go, turning my back against him, crossing over the street and rushing back toward the mansion.

"I'll ready the ritual preparations so make sure you are around by then!"

"Huuuuuhh!?"

* * *

It was about to reach evening.

As classes ended, the members of Occult Research Club gathered in their club building. From the earliest to the latest were the second-year members, the first-year, and finally the third-years with a plus of a shut-in who was still hiding inside a cardboard in the corner of the room.

But the first activity the Devils of Gremory did upon meeting up was...

"Akeno, may I have some tea?"

"Alright, Buchou~."

The de facto King chose to have the group be refreshed above all else.

It was obvious why. The parental meeting day was soon so Rias had to make sure that everything will go under control. But unfortunately, her preparation time was inadequate, all because she was swamped with works involving the previous incident and the following aftermath.

 _Honestly, being a supervisor can sometimes be more troublesome than it's worth of._

At least most of it was done. Rias could have breathed out in relief yet she was held back upon remembering the issues her childhood friend had talked about a few days ago. And no, it wasn't the one related with the resident group of legendary heroes matching their ancestors, no. As much as she wished to solve that problem as well, her luck wasn't enough to assist her from sealing off any leakage of information from her side.

Thus, the crimson-haired princess decided to have a slow day today. Besides, what could ruin her break time?

"Oh?" Akeno tilted her head upon hearing the knocking on the door.

"Allow me, Senpai." Kiba said, walking and then opening said door - only to exasperate.

While the Heiress raised an eyebrow, her Knight went out of the room. It seemed it was a guest for him but for some reasons...

 _W-why am I shivering? It's nearing summer so shouldn't the climate be warmer than the usual?_

She had a bad feeling but as if waiting for the cue, Kiba returned and smiled wryly.

"Buchou, you have guests looking for you." He said.

"A guest?" Rias wondered aloud. "Who might it be-"

"Ria-tan...! Since I'm done with my works faster than the schedule, I've come to visit you!" An extremely familiar crimson-haired man popped out into the room.

"Sorry for disturbing, but I would like some assistances from one of you, Devils of Gremory." And following after him was a Dragon Slayer.

...

A few seconds passed as everyone stared at the two men...

Shortly after, the Old School Building was filled with huge ruckus.

* * *

 **-Author's Note-**

Unfortunately, I don't have much time and neither am I going to spare my time in responding to reviews. I'm not in a good mood right now and I'm arguing with myself if I should post my stories in other websites or not so I'm going to stop thinking, close my eyes and sleep to cool my head down. Bye.

* * *

 **RAC!**

King0fPowers: Indeed. I'm also looking forward to the anime. Just to be clear, which studio took it up?  
Welp. Major plot points are going to be relevant since largest conflicts often revolved around Issei, but I do intend to add new stuff as well to explore the vast world of DxD. For the dream sequence Sieg had where Sieg fought Fafnir symbolized his transformation. It shows that no matter how far Sieg has grown, he is not Siegfried who can possibly defeat Fafnir. (current chapter-) Sieg is nerfed because he was whacked by Great Red that he even lost some of his memories. For Ophis… yes, since according to her, Dimensional Gap is her home so Sieg is on her blacklist now.

Thunder Dragon: As long as it doesn't take up spaces in the review section, then I can lend some help.

Lurker: Though I may not know how to speak in your language, the politics aren't going to be the main focus. Let's just say it's a side-effect of being too powerful while having no backings at all.

Kirin: Yes. What kind of story should I write if the protagonist doesn't suffer to succeed? It's a sink-or-swim for any protagonist of a serious story everywhere~. Hmm… I guess that's valid enough for the relationships between angels and fallen angels.

Mr. Tanaka: For Atalanta, she has quite a grudge against the Black Camp and particularly Jeanne for trying to purify (or kill) Jack-the-loli. She went berserk, used Calydonian Boar pelt and became Alter until the very end. Even Achilles couldn't do anything so he sealed her alongside him in alternate dimension of his NP. For what my story has and comparison with other stories… I understand your plight but sometimes, there are many who prefer to judge others by their first impression and they want to make sure their idols or favorites stand on the top of the world. All we can do is be patient and control ourselves if we don't want to be like them. Meanwhile, it's not wise to summon another Servant but Sieg is desperate. It will be explained later in the next chapter so just sit back and hang tight.

God-King Ghidora: Hmm… I can understand your point but that will be for later dates. I mean, we're technically still in Arc 2 so I don't want to overload everyone with endless infodumps or continuous power ups that will leave the rest of the villains in the dust. One thing for sure , Sieg is already confronted in whether or not he should say the truth so yes, it's one of the main themes of this Arc.

Mard Geer T: Sona is obviously suspicious for a fair reason, while Azazel is having a field day until he realized he just bit more than he could chew. Simple as that. For how dragons will look at him, Ddraig's early awakening is a clue for that so go find out more! For FBV, I'd say it's honestly hax-level because it can disregard laws of physics. I'm a little unsure though since I don't know that mystic eyes have ranks. Care for some details?

CCG's Ninja: Counter-Servant group… Huh, I have something similar in my mind but the purpose of the new group is going to be different. The counter-servant is just one of its duties. Well… you're right that it's not only because Astolfo has high luck but my plan… or plot device… or whatever it is, will be clarified some times in the future. That includes the Trihexa as well.

RandomBoredGuy: Heh he… I have too many plans for the Servants that I'm getting confused soon. Your dilemma happened because I was being unclear, which is kind of a reason why I'm considering rewriting the Excalibur Arc. For convenience sake, however, Sieg transformed out of emergency without calibrating his specs. It led to him having the original homunculus body which is weak as hell with Magic Core cut down in efficiency very much and indirectly using it via Magic Circuits alone. Fafnir-kun chewed him for the idiocy of forgetting to recalibrate his body and despite being a dragon, Sieg chose to transform into a dragon slayer which Fafnir-kun loathed to the marrow of bones. Thus, Sieg got the nightmare and is punished by gradually becoming dragon again both inside and outside.

For your second question, Galvanism is already used to charge Balmung faster than Kokabiel's leyline magic cannon. Slice-of-Life is already half of this story so I don't think I need an omake to show how Sieg's party takes a break. The fun and the bad stuff will be integral for my grand scheme! Oh, and for the appearance-changing spell… Well, Devils are master in that so let's try asking them.

Guest-san: I have a plan for the Graal but it's something only I know of so… Sorry, it's a secret! Your points are all correct. Sieg could have it easier with them but Galvanism and Bridal Chest aren't passive skills unlike Armor of Fafnir. Besides, it's his fault for trying to do everything in his own power when we already know there's so much that a person could do by himself. The ruckus is mostly because Rias has gotten two problems right in front of her doorsteps. Yes for the loli dragon god, and yes indeed for the double R&R! Oh, and happy New Year!

Haunted Ground: Eh, I prefer doing my way so it's somewhat related to Servants, particularly enemy Servants.

Azrael: Don't worry, important plot points will be crossed over when the time's ripe. For the lifespans issue though… Well, death is a valuable lesson so sorry, but I'm removing plot-armors for Sieg's camp. As for Fragments of Chaldea… Well, it's enjoyable to say the least. But Kiyohime has little to no plot purpose so Brynhildr who's at least a member of the Norse has more importance than her.

Erastone: Fights will go both ways, one-and-one and group battles. Strategies will also be employed since I prefer it more than the usual duel and assassination. The mansion is… at least it's big enough for now. Sieg intends to travel around though so I don't think there will be much reason to renovate it beyond what it is now. It's a given for SG-users to overshadow the normal heroes but really, that's only when you have an army of SG users. Individually, it all depended on personal experience, abilities, intellect and various other factors so SG can be turned irrelevant depending on the situation. Hm… yeah, I'll update whenever I feel like it because I'm beginning to run out of contents to write.

Last Encore: Improvements will appear in due times. They're still strong enough to take down the first five novels' antagonists so there will be a long way to go until Sieg's camp required training. In case of relationships, I'm just gonna let the pieces fall on their places. It's never good to force shipping just because.

Noah: Eh… a little of column A, and a little of column B for Azazel's reason. Changing canon is simply because the plot getting butterflied away. Needless to say, it can affect the consequences of events, impacts on relationships and characterization, and the lives of the casts be it the enemy or the ally.

The Fool: I'd prefer getting both and compare them to see which materials I can use. For Sieg's case, it's more or less him getting the accesses to all the abilities of a dragon with various side-effects now. It's like changing your access card from junior to master key while forgetting there's responsibilities and baggage upon receiving it. Also, draconic instincts are a thing. Thanks for the compliment about Issei's characterization!

RX0178: Yeah… I'm trying to organize the reviews but damn, the list is huge and long. I will probably deal with that during weekend. It's unfortunate FFNet doesn't allow me to just check the mark list for ease and convenience, so I will have to search-and-destroy the useless one personally.


	20. Chapter 18 - Third Time's the Charm

The Old School Building of Kuoh Academy had long been out of service.

According to the Gremory Heiress, it was supposed to be torn down but she suggested for another use by making it as her base. It was a nice proposal, all things considered. After all, it allowed for some divisions of work between the Gremory and the Sitri, in addition of giving some spaces for personal projects.

In other words, such choice was sensible, well thought-out, and beneficial. Especially for me.

"So you are the Hero who assisted my sister?" The crimson-haired man, Sirzechs Lucifer smiled. "Thank you very much for helping her. To tell the truth, I don't think words of gratitude alone will be enough but please accept this for now."

"It was nothing," I waved my hand. "I was just trying to fix my mistakes. In fact, had I been a little more thoughtful, then this wouldn't have happened at all."

"Oh, aren't you a humble one? It's rare to see human Heroes who are like you these days."

Truly? Jeanne was... That girl didn't bear hostility against the Devils either. But aside from her, I have yet to see human Heroes native to this universe so...

"I am merely stating out the facts." I shrugged, signalling the end of the topic.

The Devil nodded in acknowledgement. "If that is how you see it. But once again, as Rias's older brother, I thank you for your assistance, Hero Siegfried."

"...Please just call me 'Sieg', Sirzechs Lucifer."

 _Then you can call me Sirzechs_ , the man chuckled, much to my further dismay. It was tiring to speak politely and keeping up pretenses for a long period. But to tell the truth, it was uncomfortable since I was in close proximity with the Devil referring himself as the current Prince of Lies, one of the reigning rulers of the entire Devils Faction.

After all, even without using a spell, I could tell. Packed in density, suppressed by sheer willpower and efforts; an aura of deadly power was exuded from this man that it sent shivers down to the marrow of my bones. This amount of power could never be generated by human. It was foreign and destructive, pure and unbridled at the very core.

The fact that none of the people around me sensed it means that the Lucifer has full control of his own strength, comprehended its limitations and potentials, and experienced enough to not let it be detected by even his own kin.

What an enigmatic being, this Devil… And it's said that the current Devil Faction possessed three other Devils on the same caliber as him. While there might be some political maneuvers, it would be unthinkable if they accepted a powerless one as their leader. The Rating Game had proved that might is another form of authority in the Devils' society.

"Haa… It does seem like there is no choice," I said though more to myself than to others. "May I ask what the occasion is for you to come all the way here? Surely, you aren't here just to visit a family member, no?"

"Excellent deduction, but that is incorrect," Sirzechs replied. "I am here with my own agendas. You can say that this town will be placed under strict observation for the next following weeks."

"…you are going to hold an important event," I concluded. "Is it the peace conference between the Three Biblical Factions?"

"So you have heard of it already. That makes everything easier."

The man with dark robe crossed his fingers and placed one leg on top of another. He was smiling while emitting a strange vibe of air… Normal human couldn't have noticed but being a nonhuman sometimes made me see strange things…

"I-is that an aura?" Someone among the Gremory asked.

Judging from the voice, it was most likely Issei. The boy knew some odder things as well. Looking back, the majority of the Low-Rank Devils were awed too. Unfortunately…

"…well, in case you wish to know, my participation has already been decided."

The Satan stuttered, his pose broken apart within an instance. I also heard a disbelieved shout of 'The mood! Read the mood, Sieg!' but it was too bad that I couldn't understand the context of it. Reading the mood… Could it be reading the atmosphere? While that can certainly serve well in case of predicting the weather, there's no point for it when we're indoor, right?

"H-hm… I see that you're the type to strike first, Sieg-kun…" Sirzechs curved down a stiff smile.

"Is that so?" I tilted my head. "I believe that the first strike doesn't always guarantee you victory. If you have overwhelming forces, wisdom and luck, that may be possible but the battlefield is the embodiment of chaos. No one could predict what will happen for sure."

Yes. Anything could occur in such a cruel place. From the insubordination of a soldier to sudden arrival of reinforcement… nobody could tell where the winds would blow to. Thus, it would be the highest of arrogance to even think that your plan is the perfect plan. One must be able to consider every possibility and act accordingly upon it… even if it's for the worst case scenario.

Every time I recalled this knowledge, it reminded me of how the Great Holy Grail War started, developed, changed, and ended.

So I closed my eyes. "…In the end, without resolve, the battlefield will rob you of everything you have."

"…Indeed. There is no truer words than that."

With that, there was a comfortable silence. But that applied only to outsiders. For me… For the ruler of underworld and me, I believed that we had glimpsed upon one another's nature, and reached a mutual agreement.

That was why I've decided what I would do next.

"If you wish to know, I will not stand as the representative of humanity," I told Sirzechs. "That responsibility is not something I can bear. Of course, that goes the same for my companions."

"Hmm…? Then who will you—?"

"On behalf of the Grigori, I will attend the conference."

For some reasons, everyone's eyes turned to me.

I tilted my head. "Is something wrong?"

There was a long, almost overdue silence. I felt like this had happened before, but I couldn't remember when… How strange. And here I thought having a new vessel meant I have transcended the limitation of humanity in general… Well, I guess that this is also fine in its own way.

"Err…" Sirzechs muttered, a drop of sweat lining down his cheek. "Excuse me, but… Why?"

Huh…? If it was my reason in attending…

"I believe that you have read the reports sent by the local guardians," I said, glancing at the Gremory heiress. "And I assume you wished to hold someone as responsible in addition of presenting witnesses as a matter that must be discussed. But Kokabiel is dead and his companions were all wiped out. I heard the Stray Exorcist was the only one who slipped away in this case."

I sipped my tea, savoring the warmth, flavored liquid and the scent it brought into my nose. Rosemary, is it? With my acute senses, food and drinks had become quite apparent in holding back my interests from bursting out. I enjoyed savoring hearty meal but I also enjoyed how cooking laid out a long table of chemistry that tickled my hungers although I have yet to reach the level of my desired proficiency.

Sometimes, I thanked this body for being how it was. But still it made me realize how far apart I had become from mortality. No matter how many times, the realization always brought me to a halt, making me question myself if I was truly a person or a beast.

"…no. I guess I am neither, right?"

I shook my head. Sensing that I might have said something unnecessary, I returned my gaze to the front.

"My role is to substitute Kokabiel's presence. There's nothing more or less about it."

"I… see…" Sirzechs Lucifer heaved, a bitter smile adorning his youthful face. "It seems that not only you are considerate and powerful, you are resourceful as well. As expected of a Hero who slayed one of the Five Dragon Kings."

…That title…

"Excuse me, but may I ask what these 'Five Dragon Kings' you are talking about?"

"Hm? Are you not knowledgeable of them?"

Well, somewhat. While I considered myself _never_ as a Hero, I paid attention to how Siegfried was related with something that didn't have any relation to his legend. The Five Dragon Kings… Fafnir was said to be one of them, if I remembered correctly. But not even I and my wisdom could help discerning the meaning or myth related to it.

"Is there a specific meaning to it?" I further asked.

The man before me bore a thoughtful expression. With a hand pressed on his chin, he hummed, his gaze wandering to the side for once.

"Certainly, if you have isolated yourself until recently, then you might have never known of it. I believe that in your time, everything worked differently."

"So, is this title invented recently?"

I wasn't sure since when as the being before I was a Devil, a supernatural creature; an immortal being that is _not_ human regardless of how he appeared to be. For all I know, these 'Five Dragon Kings' might have become popular after an alteration in history occurred. The possibility isn't zero when you considered how different this dimension is compared to the Earth that I know of.

The world was still forgiving, the Mage Association had never existed, and neither the concept of Magus and Magecraft is. Perhaps the King of Magic decided to do something different instead of introducing Modern Thaumaturgy to the world. There might also be a relation with how the 72 Pillars of Ars Goetia are now being called as 72 Pillars of Devils.

Hmm… So many questions, so many mysteries, yet with so little answers. Truly intriguing.

"Let's see, now… There are various descriptions regarding them but simply put, the Five Dragon Kings are the names meant to address the greatest of all dragons who have existed until now," Sirzechs began, raising a hand. "Once, they were known as the Six Dragon Kings but one of them resigned from his position and have chosen to live in the underworld as our kin."

…what? A dragon who abandoned his identity as one…? And he lived in _the_ underworld as a member of the Devils…?

"…you seemed to be shocked." Sirzechs noted. "But I guess it's a given. Dragons are famous for their prideful nature. As a whole, they cared not of what other races think and they only submit to those stronger than them."

"Yeah… This is news for me."

"Well, I doubt this will help but that being – Tannin, by the way, is a dragon who desires the survival of his species. But due to several complications, his race must leave Earth and settled in a region at the underworld."

…But the Devils govern the underworld… Ah, so that's it.

"In exchange of converting himself into your kind, his kin is allowed to live peacefully without intrusion?" I deduced, somewhat surprised by the revelation.

I mean… I'd never thought that a dragon would set aside their pride to ensure the livelihood of their race. It was extraordinary to hear a peer who would think unselfishly, but I couldn't believe that this Dragon was fine abandoning his identity as a Transcendent Kind. Normally, that was impossible. Even I who am an outlier could not easily set aside my natural instincts as a Phantasmal Being.

But if there could be a logical explanation to all this…

"…So even the Dragons live under different rules here."

My heart pulsated at the thought now. What other differences will I see if I meet them? What mystery does this world have next? My interests had risen even more as I saw the prospects of seeing what the world could offer expanded before my eyes.

"Indeed. Tannin is quite famous for being recorded in human history." Sirzechs chuckled. "Of course, that applies to the rest of the Dragon Kings."

"Huh… Now that I think about it, who are they?"

"Well, there is Fafnir, the Dragon you once slayed. Then there are those from other mythological factions such as Midgardsormr the Sleeping Dragon, Yu-Long the Mischievous Dragon, Vritra the Evil Black Dragon… and Tiamat the Chaos Karma Dragon."

 _…huh?_

"Um… Did you just say 'Tiamat'…?" I asked, hoping that I misheard what the Devil had just said.

But he nodded, and I froze in place. Before I knew it, my complexion paled and cold sweats ran down my spine. There could only be one dragon renowned as 'Tiamat', and it was…

"Ah, but then again, most of them are never seen outside of their territories. For example, Midgardsormr is still fast asleep below the ocean floors and Vritra's soul has been split and sealed in various Sacred Gears after his death," Sirzechs preemptively explained. "I assure you, none of them has any interest in wreaking havocs on Earth. It will cause various problems to their selves otherwise."

 _But now that I think about it,_ Sirzechs blinked, leaning his upper body forward.

"Sieg-kun, may I ask what is your impression of dragons, particularly Fafnir?"

Uh… That's… How unexpected. To think I'd be asked such question… I broke away my gaze, only to find out that the rest of the Devils stared at me. They seemed to be very eager…

Haa. I took a deep breath in, and closed my eyes. Though I doubted it was 'Sieg's experience' they wanted to know, it didn't mean I knew nothing of what kind of grueling trials did Siegfried went through.

But even then, all I could come up to describe it was…

"It was a slaughter." I answered, short without cutting corners at all.

"A… slaughter?" A voice that I recognized as Yuuto's echoed.

I simply nodded. I didn't like reminiscing how I fought against that monster, or how different my fight and Siegfried's fight was but it didn't feel particularly painful. The time I've spent had long allowed me to pass on from that phase.

"Just by looking at it, your mind would scream and go mad. Its scales were hideous, jagged and dark as soot. It has razor sharp claws that could tear through even the hardest iron with a sweep and it possessed foul, poisonous breaths on top of a strong tail that could pierce through thick walls of concrete."

I grimaced.

"It was a creature that isn't of this world. It held malice only humans could possess, furious hatred that could transform into flaming breaths capable of melting magically enchanted weapons, and it used shrewd tactics while combining them with savage ruthlessness no other beast could ever do," I took a deep breath and sighed. "Had I been normal person, I would have already died from shock just by glancing at it, or killed right at the first move."

Although at the very end, I still end up getting killed and consumed by it. But as if I would say that. Only this secret I will take to my grave. There was no reason for me to worry everyone close to me with something that has already been decided a long time ago.

"That's…" And then came an interruption.

We… Everyone turned to the blue-haired new Knight of Gremory. Xenovia tensed her shoulders upon receiving our gazes but she maintained her front and continued on.

"That is… How should I say," She scratched her head. "If your opponent was so fearsome, why did you fight it? Why did you choose to keep on fighting against Fafnir?"

…

"…I see that you have an interesting sense, Quarta," I formed a small smile. "For your question, 'my' answer is… I had no choice at all."

"Huh…?"

I turned my head and looked down on my hands. Entwining the fingers, I recalled those memories, and the dream I had just recently.

"Glory, honor, confidence… None of that mattered. None of that drove me to fight. I just… Back there, I simply wished to live. I didn't care what kind of methods I used. I stopped thinking altogether and focused only on surviving," I closed my eyes. "By that point, there was no longer any logic present in myself. I swung my sword, clawed the grounds and stood up… All for the sake of survival. Desperation overtook me. Fear against death became the sole motivation so that I could still move my limbs."

My figure back then was unsightly. Without clear purpose I fought and suffered a humiliating defeat. As a consequence, my existence was slowly consumed by Fafnir. Had I not touched the Greater Grail, I would have lost the last thing that made up my identity and turned into the second coming of the Evil Dragon.

But still. Even with all the horrible consequences befalling upon me, there was something worth of value. Because of that, I had discovered what I needed to do, and what I could do.

"Yes. Even then, I will never regret my choice back there."

Nodding appropriately, I reopened my eyes. A kind smile was on my face, and I blinked, looking behind me.

"Oh," I muttered as the door was slammed open with a kick; there entered Saber followed after by Rider. "You took your time, didn't you?"

"Bah. I was venting my stresses out so I refuse to take your new order kindly," the first-class Servant scoffed before raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Now what's this?"

Hmm…? I observed how the bastard child of King Arthur stared at Sirzechs Lucifer. Since the man was putting up a blank expression – probably due to the sudden appearance of Saber, she didn't hesitate to hum, nodding down her head twice, and smiled the most maniacal smile I've ever seen.

Undoubtedly, tensions ran down the Gremory Peerage's backs as a whole. Meanwhile… I was breaking out cold sweats as I realized that the rebellious Servant was about to—

 _"You monster,"_ Saber stated, her emerald eyes seemingly glowing with predatory lust. "With that kind of power, you must have _real_ confidence in wiping out your enemies without trying at all. And I'm quite sure you're still holding back almost _all_ of your power consciously in every waking moment."

 _Now that is what I call a display of strength,_ the Saber-class Servant finished with a snort. Before anyone could return to their senses, she straightened her back, walked around behind me and sat in the couch next to mine without minding her manners. She even grabbed my cup and drank all of the tea in one shot...

"Err… Saber…?" I responded, somewhat later than I expected. "That's my drink."

"Bah. Get used to it already, _Master._ Even something like you can die from stresses, right? Buzz off already."

Gh… A-annoying… I really, _really_ wanted to hit her now. Unfortunately, night has yet to fall and I didn't want to cause needless bloodshed. Sighing, I readjusted my composure – but I blinked again as I found two slender arms circling my neck from behind.

"Geez! And here I thought there's something fun but why do you have to go all business first!?" Rider shouted. "Come on, Sieg! Don't you know how hard it was for _me_ to get Her Highness all the way here!?"

Well… Of course it would be difficult. My primary Servant was never a fighter and though he boasted a repertoire of Noble Phantasms, his intelligence was poor and his personal abilities made him impossible to manage.

For being a Paladin, Astolfo clearly couldn't compare to Saber. He's practically a failure in her eyes, and judged more as a clown if nothing else…

"Mgh. Are you thinking something bad again?"

"No, no. There's no such thing. I wasn't thinking something bad at all," I waved a hand in hope of placating Rider. "But please release me first. You're in the audience of the Lucifer, you know?"

 _Huh,_ Rider muttered. He raised chin, looking at Sirzechs who curved a small smile…

"Oh crap! Has Satan himself wanted to punish me for sleeping with various girls in town!?"

…I'm sorry, what?

* * *

"Please let me call you 'Sensei'."

"Eh? What? Huh?"

…I rubbed the bridge of my nose. As my Servant talked about something I never wished to know with my friend behind my back, I chose to mute it all out and focused on the matters in front of me. Yes, I am completely sure that I did not hear anything such as 'I want to get laid so please teach me how to hook up with girls' or 'doesn't matter if you're a girl as long as you can make a harem' …

…Ah, screw it. Why should I be restrained by human common sense, anyway?

"Hah ha ha! Your companions are truly interesting!" Sirzechs laughed, brazen and carefree like before.

"Don't lump me in with that clown. You want me to kill you?" Saber retorted, pointing over her shoulder with a thumb.

"And I'm sure you won't back down from calling your threat," the man replied, nodding. "It seems that you have absolute confidence in your strength. Is that a part of a king's virtue to you?"

I blinked, while Saber scoffed, though a wide arrogant smirk adorned her face.

"What kind of king is unable to have confidence in their strength?" She replied. "Or are you telling me you are powerless despite being the strongest among your kind?"

 _No such thing,_ the Devil responded. His smile was serene but when he glanced, I followed his direction, only to find his younger sister squirming in place. Huh… Was there something uncomfortable said by Sirzechs?

"Well," the crimson-haired Satan paused. "At least I've understood the situation a little for now. You possess quite powerful comrades, Sieg-kun."

Hm? "You could tell?"

I asked out of reflex. It didn't mean anything since I was just curious but the Prince of Lies simply nodded, and then opened his mouth.

"Yes. But I wonder why your companions _don't seem to be humans at all._ "

My breath was caught in my throat.

I hitched, feeling time slowed down as a glint appeared in the man's eyes. Then I realized that I had screwed up. I had, by my carelessness, reacted to his words. And he obtained the prize without needing to exert much efforts at all. It didn't matter how I answered. A being like him could have noticed from the very first glance, but…

It was my _reaction_ that he wanted. And he could confirm it for sure now.

"…ah," I muttered, my heartbeat returning back to normal. "It seems I have underestimated you."

Much to the other's confusion, Sirzechs's soft smile did not budge. He did well to hide his cunning nature, but it was a given. He's _the_ Satan. Trickery and the likes of it must have been a second-nature to him. Or it might be that he's experienced enough to know how to be diplomatic even if the odds were stacked against him.

In contrast, I who isolated myself away from interacting with anyone for eons could be nothing but a child who had never been taught what lying was. I must have appeared as extremely transparent in his eyes…

"This time it's my loss. Are you happy now, Sirzechs?" I shrugged my shoulders exaggeratedly and curved down a mocking smirk.

Of course, it was all meant for me.

"Don't mind if I am, Sieg-kun." The Satan laughed a little, and rose from his seat. "It's time for me to go too so I shall excuse myself while being ahead."

Ah, you even tried to revel in the victory you have just obtained. What an opportunistic man. But then again, I decided to just nod and let him walk away to talk with his younger sister. Ignoring the sharp glare from one of my Servants, I sipped my tea and sighed.

"If you want to chew me, do it after I finished my tasks for today." I told Saber without batting an eye at her.

She snorted. "Oh, don't worry. I have _plenty_ of patience left when you're finished doing whatever idiotic thing you're trying to do."

I see. That's good to hear. I haven't exercised and I'd like to know the limit of my current vessel. It wouldn't do if I made the same mistake again, so…

"Go easy on me, Saber."

" _Aaaas if_ , you bloody moron of a Master."

Ah, I haven't heard of a harsh insult like that for a while now. Has she recovered completely after her miraculous defeat—

" _What!?_ Maou-sama is coming to my house!?" Issei cried out.

Hm. It seems the Lucifer preferred fooling around rather than discussing in a formal business. I guess that I should just keep quiet until things calmed down around here.

Once the talk was done, it seemed the entirety of Gremory Peerage intended to leave early.

Since I requested to use the building, I was asked for what reason. I decided that telling them I intended to summon another Servant would be the wrong thing to say so I chose to tell them I wanted to summon another Familiar.

But then the Heiress asked, "Are you sure you don't need help? I have a connection with someone who can help you in contracting a familiar."

Obviously, the response I obtained was surprising, but not outside my expectation. The people I interacted with were Devils. They knew the mechanism of sorcery far better than humans, and Rias Gremory was an influential member of the 72 Pillars. Of course she would have various connections with experts from various fields.

"No, I'm fine as is. I have already found out what went wrong so I'm sure it will be alright this time."

"I see… but you should notify Sona as well. While it may not be necessary, but it's not only me who is managing this town."

"Understood. Have a nice day, Gremory-san."

And so, here I was, accompanied by one of my Servants. There was a basement meant for magic ritual below the old school building so we headed there and made our preparations. While I went through the usual procedure in creating the magic circle, I told Rider to tell the Sitri that we would be here for a night.

Needless to say, any possibility of magical devices meant to pry on our business have already been checked first. I would like my time to not be wasted so soon.

"Hmph. You're not a human so why would you wait until past midnight?" Saber asked, "Or are you trying to get a Servant better than me? To begin with, what Servant do you intend to summon next?"

"Good question, Saber." I got up, making sure that I didn't make a mistake in creating the diagram. Once I was satisfied with the results, I stepped back and faced the blonde Servant. "While the Four Horsemen classes may lend me better assistances, I've decided that one of the remaining knight classes will fulfill the role better."

"Oh?" The girl raised an eyebrow. "On what basis?"

Hm… Well, since Rider hasn't returned back, and that night has barely started, I think conversing like this would be better for both my and Saber's sake. It also allowed me to bond with my Servant, anyway…

"For once, I will _not_ summon Caster or Assassin, and neither will I ever summon them for the foreseeable future," I began. "Other than our experiences with Servants from those particular classes, most Casters will have large difficulty in fighting outside their Workshops and I doubt even the infamous Jack-the-Ripper could touch the Lucifer from earlier. I will not gamble on chances right now."

It wasn't based on the damage that one could inflict, of course. Saber must have grasped my intention as she narrowed her gaze.

"So you're expecting a battle occurring in this town," She deduced. "Who's our next opponent? The Devils? The Fallen Angels? Or the force from Heaven?"

Ah, immediately jumping to the conclusions already. Something never changed, huh? But there was a point in the Traitorous Knight's suspicions.

"I'm not sure. The Satan already discerned that you and Rider are not completely human, so it's hard to say if he's holding back from asking if I'm the original Siegfried or not." I shrugged. "For all we know, he might have seen my true identity and hid it as a bargaining chip for when he needed our assistance."

"You do know that it was entirely _your_ fault that he holds suspicions over us?"

I know. Even still, Kokabiel foresaw that I wasn't a human and the leader of Grigori have found out who and what I am. All of that had nothing to do with power, but pure intellect, intuition, and years of experience. I guess it is as expected considering they were supernatural beings older than the age of modern civilization.

"At any rate, this world is still at the Age of Gods. While we have no clue why, it doesn't change the fact that Gods, demons and heroes still roamed the world. I'm afraid that rather than Three Biblical Factions…"

"There might be an attack coming from outside," Saber nodded, growing a bloodthirsty smirk. "A third party, huh…? This is getting more and more interesting."

Interesting, you said…?

I sighed, but putting up a small smile. "Are you enjoying yourself?"

The answer – was immediate.

"Of course I am!" Saber crossed her arms. "I can fight a lot, and there's no shortage of tough bastards out there. What's more, I can finally prove myself as a king better than my father could ever be! How can I not be happy!?"

Just like that, the Servant answered my question with absolute confidence and glee. Despite her smile that reached her eyes, there was dangerous light lurking in her emerald eyes; glowing like the eyes of a wild beast. But it was never mindless. Saber – Mordred was one who tried to usurp the throne of Camelot. A prodigious traitor born from the forbidden union of King Arthur and Morganna Le Fay.

She hated and loved her heritage more than anything else. Despite her adoration to her father, she was rejected by him and rampaged out of scathing hatred. And yet, it was her unrelenting passions which drove her to go to that extent. That passion... I wonder where did it come from? Only now have I realized how how little I knew of my Servants. Rider, I already read through without needing much but Saber is...

"…Ah. That certainly suits you better." I muttered, shaking my head to the sides.

Somehow, I thought of something strange. I thought that I would have lived as a mere homunculus had she not appeared and bore her blade against me. Thinking through, there was a sense of gratefulness when the Noble Phantasm sliced through my body. That was strange, but I understood why. I could never reach this far without embracing my death for the first time.

And yet, to be thankful to someone who ended my life once… Am I spoiled by everything that has happened around me? Am I being too greedy that I'd feel gratitude to those I once considered as enemies? I shook my head, thinking that there was no use mulling about what have long passed.

"Well, I just hope that the next Servant will be someone easy to talk to."

" _Ah?_ Are you complaining for having this me as your Servant?!"

Oops, looks like I slipped up once again. What a blunder. How should I coax her... Ah, yes. If I waited until night arrived, someone among the Devils might be suspicious. It wouldn't do if I infuriated Saber too so...

"No, not at all. You're wonderful as you are," I replied. "At any rate, let's begin the Summoning Ritual. Please stay vigilant until the end of it, Saber."

* * *

Saji Genshirou was at a loss.

"Hoh ho…! Ain't this place extravagant?" One person snickered. "Well, it's not as amazing as the king's chamber I've visited before!"

The person, the guest… whatever this pink head was, she sure had a way in living a life. Why? Because she suddenly called out from outside, jumping from the school field and dropped in through the windows! And she smirked when seeing the entire members of the Student Council! Does she even have common sense!?

 _No, wait! No normal human could jump that high! What is she!?_

"You are…" His King muttered, "Aren't you his companion?"

"Aye! Paladin Astolfo, on behalf of my Master's order... I'm here to inform the leader in charge of this place!"

The girl in purple jacket saluted. Of course, the posture was wrong and she was smiling all too wide that if there was any militarist expert passing by, she would have been in a scolding hell. But for some reasons, Saji had an inkling that it was impossible to talk down on her.

 _But… Paladin Astolfo… So she's a Christian human? No, I think kaichou said that she's a descendant of a human Hero but different in that she's as capable as her ancestor…_

Somehow, the petite girl didn't look like it. Saji measured the slender figure, the lovely face and the braided pink hair but there was no hint of strength she displayed when she was wearing her armors. It didn't help that the Hero was spouting whatever crossed her mind like an idiot. _Could it be that she's an airhead with no common sense?_

"Inform?" Kusaka wondered aloud. "What do you mean by that?"

"Ooh, a cutie! Nice hairstyle! Pig-tails reminded me of a girl from my homeland… Man, was she wild on bed." _Eh!?_ "Well, my Master is here to borrow the leylines for his familiar summoning. Is that alright for you all?"

 _Huh… So that guy is going to summon another familiar? But didn't he say he failed twice in a row?_

"Huh… Errm… As long as it doesn't damage the surroundings…"

"Ah! Good to know! Don't worry, it won't happen again! As long as it's not troublesome person again that is summoned!"

The girl laughed as if it wasn't her problem. Or rather, she was being too carefree that it was hard to tell if she was serious… But what did she mean by 'troublesome person'…?

"…Excuse me," Meguri suddenly raised a hand. "Umm… Astolfo-san…"

The Paladin blinked. "Hey now! No need to be so formal like that! You all helped Master many times so that means you're good guys in my book!"

 _Or so I'd like to say, but…_

"While you are all being friendly to him, I won't tolerate _any_ of you trying something on Sieg," Astolfo said, her tone growing colder and flat by seconds.

Even though she was saying that with a smile, the effect was tremendous. Saji sweated, his grips over official documents suddenly tightening out of reflex and he stepped backward. It wasn't an intentional action but he felt… dread; terror running down his veins.

 _What… What was that? What was that sensation as if I'm going to die if I were to slip my tongue…?!_

"Of course, you can try but it's not like you can touch him," Astolfo pointed over her shoulder with a thumb. "Master is too kind for his own good. He needs to learn a lot if he want to live like a human, and he needs a lot of time and people to help him."

"…You are saying that as if that person isn't a human."

 _Did I,_ the petite Hero muttered, tilting her head. At once the hostility she held vanished as if it was never there and she grinned. _Well, whatever,_ she continued, walking around the Student Council office.

"Hmm… Lots of books here. Oh, you even have a collection of books about heroes!" Astolfo exclaimed before turning her purple gaze to Sona. "Let me guess—you want to know more about me, Saber and Master, right?"

 _Gh,_ a sound escaped the Sitri Heiress's mouth. Saji almost gave a double take as he didn't expect the President to utter such thing. Why? That didn't sound like the calm and collected senior he crushed on!

But ignoring the rest, the uninvited guest made a sound and stalked towards her. _What is she trying to—_

"Hmm…? Oh… Oh ho ho…!" The petite girl murmured, circling around Sona.

"What is it?" The cool Student Council President asked. "If you have no more business, then—"

"Aha! So you have some interests in Master!"

 _What!?_

"H-huh!?" Sona flinched, her glasses drooped down. "Wh-what are you talking about?!"

 _Eeeeeeeeehh!?_

"K-Kaichou…!?" Saji nearly cried out, but his voice was quickly drowned out—

By a booming, clear and resounding noise of _an explosion_ from where the Old School Building was at.

* * *

 **-Author's Note-**

Man, I'm tired... The traffic almost killed me with the stupidly long jam that I only arrived two hours before midnight. And I barely had enough sleep since I had to get up early for the sake of getting a driving license. Sigh, and I haven't finished my homework.

Anyway, beside the complaints, this chapter has been difficult to write. No, not in the way of balance, but at placing the end point in addition of how to make the talk between Sieg and Sirzechs. I like the Maou's goofy side but we rarely found him working (no, not in head-on fight) in the field of negotiation. Canon glossed over political discussions so I feel like it's unfitting if Sieg never tasted how it feels in talking with a real politician. Seriously, this guy really needs to get a hundred friends and talk his heart out with them.

Btw, Reviews will come later. For now, gonna sleep...

* * *

Reviews... For some reasons, there are those that appear and those that do not. I don't really get why but it seems there's also some mixed together from random dates so maybe there's something wrong with the site and the android app. Anyway, I'll try to sort out from the previous chapter only. Correct me if I'm wrong like always, guys.

 **R! A! C!**

Mard Geer T: Pfft. Coincidence isn't going to get her shares so much in this story. But yeah, Ophis is intrigued while being annoyed all at the same time. I mean, some random dragon suddenly popped out and enraged her enemy while leaving him behind to take care of someone else's mess. But she didn't like that her home got wrecked either, so the conversation between the two… will be interesting, to say the least. Well, Gasper is going to frighten Sieg though if Balor were awake.

Azrael: Nah, Volume 6 is in fact can already be used as the first turning point. Who knows who will leave the stage but whether they will die peacefully or not depend on my plan and mood. Let's see… Brynhildr already have the YAN and the same can happen to Jackie (and Tamamo as well), so I think that's enough backstabbers in the party. Let's face it, other than Astolfo and Tamamo, the rest of Sieg's Servants are composed of those in the antagonistic roles who have no qualm in killing even their own Masters when they deemed them unfit.

Guest-san: You're welcome. Well, I have a plan though it's not going to be good when Sieg found out about it. It's not going to be something pretty at all.

Last Encore: Well, it's Fate. What do you expect? Life can be bittersweet like a coffee with little sugar, or chocolate with high purity of cacao. If it's about Sieg mastering what he already have and improving from it, that's already a part of his upgrade. It's why I chose the Servants everyone voted for, too, after all.

Kirin: Gilgamesh (Archer) isn't going to be happy with a nonhuman enticing humans he ruled to abandon their humanity. Iskandar will obviously enjoy the company of someone who can be laidback in accordance to the time and situation, while wanting to test his might against legendary figure bearing the title of Maou/Satan. Needless to say, Artoria will handle the matters professionally as ever, though she will probably diss Sirzechs for going around without an escort as 'lacking awareness for being a ruler.'

Erastone: Ehh… The likes of Heroes have huge egos in their strength so relying on others would be seen as the last resort to them. Of course Hyde isn't like that and the same goes to Tamamo and Astolfo, but people like Mordred and Atalanta have a harsh past life which cemented their belief over their own strength. Sieg will have to discuss with others first, though. Meanwhile, I have a plan for the magic and skills from DxD since they are… well, easier without much restrictions unlike back at Nasuverse.

The Fool: You can expect a big battle happening. There will be another Servant involved but this one will be extremely problematic for everyone, personally Sieg.

CCG's Ninja: Yep! The world of DxD is vast so why should I repeat what others did and rehash canon when we don't even know what Norse faction or Greek faction looked like from the inside? Grand Servants will be difficult as hell to beat though so the most I can do will probably include demi-servants or Blackened Servants.

Kuro-tan: Mo-chan isn't suited for that role. She should be laughing and goes off to the sunset while riding a Harley Davidson, continuing her eternal quest of doing whatever she wanted. And yes, Jeckyl will appear. Since Grand Order showed that even Servants can escalate, then I see the reason why can't my story do that?

PX-00: Summing it all up, _keikaku doori._ I didn't accept the line up by minding only their purpose as combatants, you know? What I want from the casts is the dynamic that can be added and exchanged with each other. Of course setbacks can happen but I intend to make an optimistic ending if I am allowed to.

Ozymandias: Sona also did it but by using her contacts. Rias is wired more to confront the issues directly like in Stray Devils. I expected Sona to deal with the administration and paperworks _especially_ reporting to the higher ups too, but I guess that the clues weren't mentioned or did not hold too much importance for the readers, huh? Yet another thing to fix. Next, the bigshots aren't only good guys only, though. Oh, and believe me that Saber Alter has the biggest, most important clue for why Servants will appear in the future.

KILLA OPHAZ: Absurd? I still think that it's because I'm making a crossover between two popular fandoms that can be mixed really well when pulled right. Other than that, maybe first-person narrative is more popular right now. And my style is similar to Fate/Stay Night game narration in that it changes between first person and third person for further exposition.

Thunder Dragon: Hmm…? I still think you should think it through. What you wanted _me_ to do is entering character bashing and putting things on perspective, Astolfo isn't going to yell such things out. It's outside of his character.


	21. Chapter 19

Sometimes, the best laid out plan is not a plan that can survive first contact.

That idle thought crossed my mind after I threw aside a section of the wall, coughing at the clouds of dust and dirt that rose up. Not even a minute had gone by ever since the magic circle exploded _for some reasons_. It was a jarring experience to know that not even a change of location and proper tweaking that should have suited a regular Servant summoning ritual succeeded, and the ruins provided a fine testament to my failure as a Magus.

Then I heard a thread stretching. Looking up, an iron arrowhead pointed at my forehead while my gaze met ferocious glare of a girl in green and black dress.

 _"Why are you here?"_ The girl asked, almost hissing those four words.

Her verdant green eyes glimmered with intense light. It was bright and sharp like a predator locking on her natural enemy, and the huntress directed such glare to me. Despite all that, I could sense other emotions leaking from the Link between us. As a Master, I was fed subconsciously with information that I interpreted as confusion, anger, and worry.

"...I'd say the same thing to you. I never expected summoning you..." I breathed out. "Archer of Red."

The triangular ears on her head twitched. The maiden blessed by the Goddess Artemis was about to let loose her arrow and a part of the ruin next to us flew to the sky. Red lightning clapping and a silver bullet raced for a brutal downward slash.

The Archer in green dodged. She zigzagged, retreating like an animal and jumped to land on a tree branch before launching arrows with resounding _fwip_.

Unfortunately for her, Saber was not a Servant that could be trifled with. The knight swatted the arrows with one strike and pointed Clarent towards Archer.

"You have some nerves, stray cat." The knight snarled.

"And you are as unpleasant as ever, mad lioness." The huntress quipped, notching another arrow. "Here I thought it was all but a nightmare yet..."

I felt her gaze on me, the Archer narrowing her eyes before she pursed her lips in a scowl filled with hatred and frustration. I'd think for once that she was trying to say something but the Servant whipped her head to the side and I heard of a yell.

"You!" Rider attacked, his golden-tipped lance striking down. "Why are you here too!?"

Archer nimbly dodged it but the tree was pulverized in exchange. Standing atop rubble, surrounded by my two Servants, the Chaste Huntress growled as she readied her bow. Meanwhile, I had successfully dug my way out from the ruin and stood up.

I felt like everything had escalated even without my interference… Or is it the natural thing for something like me to attract troubles?

...Well, maybe nothing other than the fact that I've yet again summoned another troublesome Servant.

Looking at Archer, however, she remained glaring at me as if Rider and Saber were of no concern. At this range, Saber could reach her even before another arrow was let loose. Why would she be more wary of me when she faced two Servants who boasted agility that could match her? While it was a viable method to attack the Master instead of their Servant, especially when they are clearly stronger than you…

Hm. This situation held too many unknown variables. Perhaps Archer has too little information and the situation did not help her, it wasn't ideal. At least for me and Archer. …Isn't it obvious for me to take the initiative, then?

"That's right," I nodded, stepping ahead of my allies. "Saber, Rider. Stand down."

The two Servants whirled their heads and stared at me as if I had grown a second head. Rider, catching my expression, exasperated while Saber snorted in plain annoyance.

Even so, there was no rejection. Does that mean they approved my action? I feel honored but most probably, Saber would gauge my worth if I stepped in like this… which is just _wonderful_.

"What do you want?" The Chaste Huntress queried, looking both regal and feral at the same time.

"I apologize for the... _unusual situation_ I've summoned you in." I replied, "But I believe there's a misunderstanding here. I'd like to resolve that."

The Servant didn't look pleased at all.

"And what will stop you from going against your words?" Archer asked. "Once have I seen the Saint killing a child, one under my charge. She is no different than that vixen fox! And you—"

"Are not a human, yes?" I tilted my head. "I believe that discarding my humanity and living in timeless exile is better than letting the world the Fake Priest desired to come true."

I frowned and pursed my lips.

"Regardless of what the future may hold, I believed in mankind. And still I believe that the cause I fought for is worth of the sacrifices," I said, completely determined. "What do you believe in now, Atalanta the Chaste Huntress? What do you hold in this world where there is no such thing as the Holy Grail?"

In the face of my question, the Servant of Bow gritted her teeth. It was clear that she understood the meaning behind my words and question, but pushing too far would do no good for either of us.

So I waited. I waited as none of us refused to divert our gazes away. With the windows of our souls reflecting each other, time passed, and...

"...You are a cunning man," Atalanta huffed, slowly lowering her bow. "Yet I detect no lies from your words and actions. You... Are you incapable of lying?"

Well, now... I glanced at Rider for a bit, then pressed a hand on my chin.

"I guess I can blame that for Rider's loose mouth," I answered. "Apparently, it's his personal skill to blurt out any secret he has and those entrusted to him. It can't be turned off or even sealed."

Archer raised an eyebrow. Then she nodded as if she understood the length of sufferings I have dug myself into.

"I know one fool who runs his mouth off all the time," she said, "Even though time has changed, there will always be people like that. You have my condolence."

I nodded in reply, accepting her words. It was reassuring to know of a kindred soul.

"Wh—oy!? Why are you two hitting it off so well when it's about insulting me!?"

Huh, I think it's kind of obvious, right?

"This is so stupid..." Saber breathed out. "Bah. I'm out of here."

Huh? Ah, she was already back in her tube top, jacket and shorts garment. None of her armor or even her Noble Phantasm could be seen and she waved a hand while she pulled out a box of cigarette.

"...Saber, you can't smoke in school grounds." I told her off.

"Shaddup! I do as I wish!" And the Servant replied thusly.

But much to many assumptions she could garner, the girl marched towards the school gate while abiding my words... I guess she's going to take a patrol in the meanwhile too. I've been hearing a lot of tales about her exploits around the town and honestly, it was so like her to just barge in on a group of ruffians and hammer some senses into them.

I'm quite certain she did so simply because they were an eyesore, though…

"Sigh. Looks like no matter what kind of situation she's summoned in, she will just do whatever she wants."

While I exasperated, I could feel a gaze put on me. I looked back and found Archer staring at me yet again, her lips pursed together.

"...What exactly do you mean by that?" She asked. "What 'situation' are you referring to? And why is there no one else but that beast and this fool here? You said you summoned me, but who contracted those fools again? And you said that the Grail is not here…"

...Well... if it's that—

"Oh! Master, the Devils are here!" Rider shouted, my eyes following his direction and finding the entirety of the Student Council entering the clearing and standing still upon laying their gazes on us. "Eh? It looks like they're all in bad mood..."

Err...

"Whoa... The building is completely ruined." The only male member of the Student Council muttered.

"That explosion wasn't natural at all. Could it be..." Shinra trailed off.

"Another failed summoning ritual? This is the third time, isn't it?!"

Ah, uh... Well... I fumbled with words and yet I drew only utter pure white sheet from my mind. This was completely unexpected. There were witnesses and most important above all else... It was the Sitri, the local supervisor of this land who discovered my failure despite me being under her watch.

Honeyed words wouldn't work. Lying obviously wasn't an option. Dodging the truth? But Rider was around!

"...I committed yet another grave mistake, aren't I?" I raised a rhetorical question.

" _Ayyup._ " Rider nodded.

Damn. Is it the Curse of Rhein Gold? Should I blame that pile of rotten treasure that always blinded even the virtuous with false promise?

This wasn't supposed to happen in the first place!

* * *

"So," the black-haired Student Council president of Kuoh Academy started. "Is this yet another one of your allies, Sieg-kun?"

Uhmm… How should I explain now? Scratching my cheek, I decided that it was a wise move for me to pick up the tea-filled cup served for Rider, Archer and me. Of course, it wasn't like there's any appeal in drinking tea in a ruined building. All the supernatural beings in the school grounds had chosen to stay at the Student Council office and I was seated in the sofa with Rider sitting next to me.

Archer opted to stand next to the window. I assume she's being cautious and prepared in case the unexpected happens, though her nose scrunched up every once in a while. Ah, wait. She started to glare at the entirety of Student Council, probably because they looked like humans despite smelling unlike them. Please don't get the wrong idea again, Archer…

"You sure attracted feisty maidens left and right with your gravitas, Master."

My eyebrows twitched. Be quiet, Rider. What do you mean by gravitas and why would I attract feisty maidens with it? Is that even the correct term to address the opposite sex? Anyway, even _I_ could tell that giving the raw truth would be counter-productive, so…

"Well, though I'm reluctant to call her as an ally, but I know her due to some… 'circumstances'." I raised a hand as I explained.

"Oh?" Sitri raised her eyebrow. "Does this circumstance involves the other two as well? Does this mean she's yet another Servant, a Hero who boasts both the fame and strength of those from the ancient times?"

Mgh. This Devil sure knew not to hold back in the most opportune time. She also linked the dots pretty quickly.

"However, I'm afraid that I have never seen another Nekoshou besides Rias's Rook…"

…Huh?

"'Nekoshou?'" I wondered aloud, and realized that Archer as well parroted the same word.

The two of us stared at each other. For once, there was an odd stillness hanging in the air and it lasted for a while. After what I assumed as fifteen seconds, Archer blinked and averted her gaze with a huff.

Huh… what was that?

"Sieg-kun…?"

"Eh? Ah, well… Umm, what do you mean by 'Nekoshou', Sitri-san?"

It seemed my question caught her off-guard. The Heiress wasn't able to hide her surprise and she glanced at Archer before returning her gaze on me.

She nodded. "It's… Well, do you know what Youkai is?"

Youkai… Humm, if I remembered correctly, that was how the people in this country call demons and nonhuman entities bearing mystical powers, isn't it? Though I've lived in the Reverse Side of the World for considerable amount of times, I steered clear from beings such as Demons and Divine Spirits. Not because of their nature, but simply because they were way too much to handle. I didn't like those who would break my day in a heartbeat.

Honestly, the world would've been much better without so much distorted or nonsensical things. Rules existed for a reason, not as a standard that should be bypassed through the backdoor repeatedly.

"Hmm… Though I am not sure if that is what people think back in your time…" Sitri pressed two fingers on her chin. "Youkai as a whole, to put it simply, is a race of supernatural entities. They come in many forms with various abilities and most if not all of them reside in Kyoto, the old capital of Japan."

Haa… If I remembered correctly, Kyoto was known as the Demon Capital in the past, right? I've already done my research about this land's history so at least I could follow the flow of this conversation.

"So Nekoshou is a type of Youkai…?" I tilted my head. "I presume they have something to do with Archer's appearance, then?"

The Chaste Huntress' triangular ears twitched, her eyes narrowed down and the tail hidden by her skirts secretly tensed up. There was no need to second guess her irritation since being judged due to appearance must feel like a form of discrimination, and discrimination meant unjust treatment; one thing someone like her would feel about in the extremity.

I drew out a deep sigh. "Although I am unsure of why this sounds like a big deal, but Archer is different."

"Which means?"

I looked to my third Servant. She was now glaring at me again and a telepathic Link was connected with my mind.

 _'Do you honestly believe I would reveal my true identity to these beings?'_

…Ah, well. I don't think you have a reason to be truthful. Why not tell them some sort of white lies?

 _'Fooling them with neither lie nor truth?'_ Archer scoffed carried off into the telepathic Link. _'I see that you're not all talk.'_

Hm. Good to hear that. Although… Rider and Saber can listen to this conversation.

 _'What?'_

 _'That's right! Now we can chat even without moving our mouths! Amazing, ain't it!?'_ Rider chimed in.

 _'You're all way too loud! Enough with the prattling, you bastards!'_ Saber yelled.

…

…Aaaahh… This is bad. My head is filled with voices. Augh, whose bright idea was it to make the Master as the hub for the telepathic Links…? I can't even hide my thought when it's connected…

 _'Master, that's asking for too much,'_ Rider interrupted. _'Or rather, if you think it's bothering you, you shouldn't have said it when we're all Linked together like this.'_

…

…I breathed out. Breathed in. Closed my eyes. Placed my elbows on my thighs while my entwined fingers became a cushion for my forehead. After some deliberation, I expelled one word.

"…Damn."

I received a sound advice, but the advice came from _Rider_ of all people that were in this room. Of everyone who could have said it better, it was _Rider_ who lectured me! Since when common sense and insanity switched around!? Where is God in this messed up world!?

…Oh, yeah. God is dead. Nietzsche must be laughing from beyond his grave now that his mad theory had been proven right. Sigh… mankind has _never_ stopped surprising me. They would probably not going to stop even if they went extinct, either.

* * *

 **\- Author's Notes -**

Honestly, there are a lot of stuff to say. I'm pretty sure people are wondering what has happened to this story but the issue is pretty simple, and... Well, dodging the problems ain't gonna cut it so...

I'm sorry. I burnt out.

Honestly, I _know_ that there's something wrong with this story. I'm sure as hell the grammar is subpar and my attitude is clearly showing in the narration, not to mention I got constructive critics that pointed out the really bad parts that should be fixed ASAP. However, I find joy in writing the story and think believe that I should continue to work at my own pace.

And yet that didn't work. _Not. At. All._

The motivation to write just disappeared. Ideas stopped entering my head and I couldn't imagine _anything_ about the direction I should go with. It's annoying, frustrating, depressing, and humiliating. So much so that I started to hate myself at some points but cutting my fingers off will just be unproductive. Besides, that would just make it as an excuse to run away, and I _hate_ running away the most.

Thus, after mulling about it, I've decided to put this story into the Hiatus shelf and be upfront about it while delivering the latest update regardless of how incomplete it is.

Yeah... this won't end well. I'm sure a lot of readers will leave this story but I need time and probably divine intervention if I want this story be resurrected. Ugh, this is even happening to the original stories I'm writing. Is it just me or is growing up limits your creativity? At any rate, I'm sorry for everyone who's looking forward to the continuation of Sieg's story in the different world. I no longer have anything to work with and there's not enough drive for me to continue it.

That doesn't mean I'm retiring from writing, of course. It's just... while at it, life is throwing lemons at me so I've got to find or make a net to get them all. Update here is gonna be far and few in between but as long as internet remains active (and I'm still fond or alive enough to care about it), I'll continue to stick around somewhere.

Now, everyone. Thanks for the supports so far. Once again, I'm sorry and see you again.


End file.
